It can be aggressive in small gardens due to its rooting runners.

Does it need full sun?

It prefers full sun but will tolerate partial shade.

Plant guide

Creeping cinquefoil.

Potentilla reptans

Pronounced po-ten-TIL-uh REP-tanz

Also known as Creeping Cinquefoil, European five-finger, European fivefinger

Potentilla reptans — Photo by Mary E. Macaulay, P.Eng. (CC BY) via gbif

This hardy perennial is a sprawling ground cover that spreads by rooting runners. It produces cheerful yellow flowers throughout the summer months. You will often find it thriving in meadows or along roadsides.

Another photo of creeping cinquefoil — Photo by Михаил Орлов (CC BY) via iNaturalist

At a glance

Care level: Easy
Plant type: herbaceous perennial
Light: full sun to partial shade
Indoor light: Direct sun
Water: Every 5 to 10 days
Mature size: 10 to 20 centimeters tall
Growth rate: Fast
Hardiness: USDA 4 to 9
Bloom time: Late spring to early autumn

Care

Plant this in a spot with plenty of sun and well draining soil. Keep an eye out for aggressive spreading if you have limited space. Watch for yellowing leaves which might signal poor drainage.

Watering: Keep the soil consistently moist but never waterlogged.
Feeding: Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer during the active growing season.
Pruning: Trim back runners if the plant starts to crowd out neighbors.
Repotting: Repot only if the plant becomes root bound in its container.
Soil: well draining loam
Soil pH: neutral to slightly alkaline
Temperature: -20 to 35°C
Humidity: 40 to 70%
Drought tolerance: Moderate
Lifespan: Perennial, typically 5 to 10 years.
Deer and rabbits: Moderate

Signs it needs repotting

Roots growing out of the drainage holes
Stunted growth despite regular watering

Safety

People: The plant is generally considered non-toxic but may cause mild stomach upset if ingested in large quantities.
Children: The plant is not considered dangerous to children, though ingestion of any non-food plant should be discouraged.
Contact allergens: The foliage can cause mild skin irritation in sensitive individuals due to fine hairs.
Airborne allergens: Pollen may cause mild reactions in those with severe seasonal allergies.
Edibility: While not highly toxic, this plant is not considered a culinary herb and should be avoided for consumption.

How to identify it

five lobed palmate leaves
bright yellow five petaled flowers
long creeping rooting stems
toothed leaf margins

Height: 0.05 to 0.15m
Spread: 0.3 to 1m
Leaves: green, deciduous
Flowers: yellow, 1.5 to 2.5cm
Fruit: brown, Autumn

Problems to watch for

AphidsCommon
Powdery MildewCommon
Leaf SpotUncommon
RustUncommon

By symptom

Plant problems by symptom

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Growing it

Propagation: division, seed, cuttings
When to plant: spring, autumn
Overwintering: The foliage will die back in winter, so simply clear away dead stems in early spring to make room for new growth.
In containers: It grows well in wide, shallow containers, but ensure the pot is at least 30 cm wide to accommodate the runners.

Division

1. Dig up a clump in spring.
2. Gently pull the rooted runners apart.
3. Replant immediately in moist soil.

Plant this in areas where you want a low maintenance ground cover that can handle some foot traffic.

Grows well with

Common Daisy · They share similar moisture and light requirements in meadow settings.
Selfheal · This companion provides a nice color contrast and thrives in similar soil conditions.

Similar species

Silverweed · It has a similar growth habit and flower color but with distinct silvery foliage.

Science

Family: Rosaceae
Genus: Potentilla
Order: Rosales
Class: Magnoliopsida
Native range: Europe, Western Asia, and Northern Africa.
Conservation: It is a common and widespread species with no special conservation concerns.

It thrives in open, disturbed ground and grasslands where it can easily spread via its runners.

Value to wildlife: nectar source, ground cover habitat
Pollinators: bees, butterflies, beetles
Uses: ground cover, rock garden plant, meadow planting

Through the year

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Flowering

Fruiting

Foliage

Ecological indicators

Salinity: 1/9
Soil reaction: 6/9
Light: 7/9
Temperature: 5/9
Moisture: 5/9
Nutrients: 5/9

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Is it invasive?: It can be aggressive in small gardens due to its rooting runners.
Does it need full sun?: It prefers full sun but will tolerate partial shade.

Where the name comes from

The name Potentilla comes from the Latin word potens, meaning powerful, referring to its historical medicinal use. The species name reptans means creeping, describing its growth habit.

Good to know

The runners can grow up to a meter long.
It has a long history of use in traditional herbal practices.
The flowers only open fully in bright sunshine.

Keep your creeping cinquefoil growing

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This guide was generated with AI on September 26, 2026 and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.