Wildflowers of the United States

Shrubby Cinquefoil, Shrubby Five-finger, Golden Hardhack - Dasiphora fruticosa

Native Status: Native

Dicot Perennial Shrub Leaves:Alternate Leaves:Compound

Dasiphora fruticosa - Shrubby Cinquefoil, Shrubby Five-finger, Golden Hardhack.

Dasiphora as currently defined is a small genus of about a dozen species, mostly native to Asia. The single species native to North America is this one, Dasiphora fruticosa. Dasiphora (Shrubby Cinquefoil) has been included in Potentilla (Cinquefoil) in the past, but almost all botanists have agreed for a long time that separating the shrubby from the herbaceous Cinquefoils is appropriate, and recent molecular analysis has confirmed that decision.

Dasiphora fruticosa is a plant of Eurasia as well as being native to western and northern North America excluding most of the Great Plains and the Southeast. In the east it ranges only as far south as northern New Jersey. The report of its presence in North Carolina is likely mistaken; those records were historic (1901), with no specimens or corroborating documentation preserved. While it seems to prefer wet to even swampy locations, it can grow in a variety of habitats. Due to variations in parts of the world, some botanists have treated members of this species as two species (the other being D. floribunda) and some include subspecies classification - ssp. floribunda would be our plant.
Synonym: Potentilla fruticosa

Found in:
AK, AZ, CA, CO, CT, ID, IL, IN, MA, ME, MI, MN, MT, NC, ND, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, WY

Distribution of Dasiphora fruticosa in the United States and Canada:

Map courtesy of The Biota of North America Program.
Map color key
Search Our Database: Enter any portion of the Scientific, Common Name, or both.

Do a general Google search of the entire site:

#ad

Follow USWildflowers on Twitter

#ad

Site: Rocky Mountain National Park, Larimer County, CO Date: 2016-August-26	Photographer: Gerald C. Williamson Nikon D7000 Tamron SP 90MM f/2.8 AF Macro
Shrubby Cinquefoil has showy, bright yellow flowers. Each have 5 ovate petals up to about 1/2 inch long. There are 20 to 25 yellow stamens.

Site: Rocky Mountain National Park, Larimer County, CO Date: 2016-August-26	Photographer: Gerald C Williamson Nikon D7000
The inflorescences are terminal on the main stems and lateral twigs. They may contain solitary flowers or rarely up to 30 in an inflorescence, although fewer than 7 is normal.
Click on the photo for a larger image
Site: Rocky Mountain National Park, Larimer County, CO Date: 2016-August-26	Photographer: Gerald C Williamson
The leaves are alternate on the reddish-brown or grayish stem. The stems of first-year plants may be villous; those of older plants are glabrous, but the bark may be papery and shredding.
Click on the photo for a larger image
Site: Rocky Mountain National Park, Larimer County, CO Date: 2016-August-26	Photographer: Gerald C Williamson Nikon D7000
The leaf of Dasiphora fruticosa is (usually) odd-pinnately compound with the terminal leaflet sub-palmate. The petiole is about 1/2 inch long. The leaf surface is nearly glabrous to silky-hairy, especially on the underside.
Click on the photo for a larger image
Site: Rocky Mountain National Park, Larimer County, CO Date: 2016-August-26	Photographer: Gerald C Williamson
Dasiphora fruticosa grows to 3 or 4 feet high, and may also be that 3 or 4 feet across. It may be decumbent or erect. The leaves may be deciduous, or occasionally persistent (evergreen), depending on the locale.
Click on the photo for a larger image

References used for identification and information:

#ad

Dasiphora fruticosa initially published on USWildflowers.com 2019-02-13; Updated 2019-02-13

Commercial / Cookie Notice

Looking for Wildflowers for a specific state? Check here:

All content except USDA Plants Database map Copyright Gerald C. Williamson 2024
Photographs Copyright owned by the named photographer

Code Update 20230302