Potentilla thurberi A. Gray
Rosaceae (Rose Family)
USDA Symbol: POTH2
Scarlet cinquefoil is a perennial of rich, conifer forests. Its leafy stems are usually at least a foot tall. Basal leaves are palmately compound, with five to seven leaflets. 1 or several leafy branched stems bearing loose clusters of long-stalked, rich, deep crimson flowers. Five-petaled flowers are rose-red to dark-red.
The rich red, darkest in the flowers center, seems to have a velvety glow; the surface is dull but the color intense. A similar species with reddish flowers, Comarum palustre, is relatively humble, with tiny, dark red petals between larger, dull red sepals; it grows in bogs across North America, extending south in the West to northern California and Wyoming.
From the Image Gallery
Bloom InformationBloom Color: Red
Bloom Time: Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct
DistributionUSA: AZ , NM
Native Distribution: Mts. of NM, AZ & n. Mex.
Native Habitat: Conifer forests; 6000 to 9000 ft.
Growing ConditionsLight Requirement: Shade
Soil Description: Rich, acid soils.
Conditions Comments: Not Available
Value to Beneficial InsectsSpecial Value to Native Bees
This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
Find Seed or Plants
Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.
National Wetland Indicator Status
From the National Organizations DirectoryAccording to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:
Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR
Additional resourcesUSDA: Find Potentilla thurberi in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Potentilla thurberi in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Potentilla thurberi
MetadataRecord Modified: 2014-08-25
Research By: TWC Staff