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Marsh Cinquefoil

Marsh Cinquefoil

Comarum palustre

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How common: Very common

Marsh Cinquefoil is a long‑lived wetland plant with striking dark red, star‑shaped flowers. It is typically seen in bogs, fens and along quiet shores across northern parts of Europe, Asia and North America.

Did you know?

  • It was formerly placed in the cinquefoil genus Potentilla.
  • The leaf undersides are pale, almost silvery grey.

About the species

Identification

Perennial, 20–50 cm tall. Stems upright or leaning, often reddish and softly hairy, spreading from a creeping woody base. Leaves made of several narrow leaflets in pairs with one at the tip (usually 5–7); edges coarsely toothed; top green, underside pale grey and felted. Flowers few, star‑like, dark red to brownish red; the pointed outer parts are longer than the small inner petals; many fine, thread‑like parts crowd the centre. After flowering the dark red centre swells a little and many tiny hard seeds form. Differs from yellow‑flowered cinquefoils by its deep red flowers and silvery leaf undersides. Flowers in Finland in June–July.

Plant group

Herbaceous plants

Habitat

mire

Flowering

Jun–Jul

About the habitat

Prefers very wet ground: open bogs and rich fens, swampy woods, wet ditches, and the edges of ponds and lakes, often in peaty soils. Common throughout the country.

Sources

Photo: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Comarum palustre - harilik soopihl.jpg

Text: Pinkka: BIO-503 Suomen kasvisto ja kasvillisuus - Tunturit: tunturiniityt, CC BY 4.0 https://laji.fi/taxon/MX.38843

Text: Wikipedia (Finnish), CC BY-SA 4.0 https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurjenjalka

See also