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Potentilla palustris | marsh cinquefoil

Regular price
$8.99
Regular price
Sale price
$8.99
Shipping calculated at checkout.

Grown from seed in living soil without the use of pesticides, chemicals, or carbon fuels.

Plants may ship dormant in early spring.

ships spring 2026


Marsh cinquefoil (Potentilla palustris) is a fascinating marsh plant with circumboreal distribution throughout cool temperate Asia, Europe, and North America. We love this little-grown perennial for its deep red to purple flowers and strawberry-like foliage. Grow it along the ponds edge or in any low-lying, marshy spot in full sun.

2025 Growing Note: Despite its penchant for growing in cool places, our young plants grew beautiful through months of temperatures in the high 90s this summer. 

Zone: 3 to 7 
Family: Rosaceae
Type: Herbaceous Perennial
Height: 12 to 24 in.
Spread: 24 to 36 in.
Exposure: full sun
Conditions: wet, boggy
Bloom Time: June to July 
Native Range:
northern regions of North America, Europe, and Asia


Common names:
purple cinquefoil, purple marshlocks, marsh cinquefoil, cowberry meadow nut, bog strawberry, purplewort

Synonym(s):
Comarumm palustre, Potentilla palustris var. parvifolia, Potentilla palustris var. villosa

image credits

Frank Vassen from Brussels, BelgiumCC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Ryan HodnettCC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Agnieszka Kwiecień, NovaCC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A close-up image of a marsh cinquefoil (Potentilla palustris) flower with a blurred background.
Crimson flowers of marsh cinquefoil (Potentilla palustris) growing in a green garden
Burgundy flowers of marsh cinquefoil (Potentilla palustris) with green foliage

Ordering information

Preorders

You may place your order anytime to reserve plants for fall 2025 shipment. If you place multiple orders, we will combine plants into one box (or as many as needed) and any extra shipping charges will be refunded.

We will resume shipping plants as soon as temperatures cool in our location and yours.

We will check in with you a week before shipping to make sure you receive your plants at a time that is convenient for you.

Shipping

Live plants ship in spring and fall only. Plants may ship dormant, depending on variety and season. Shipping costs are most reasonable when bundling like size plants.

  • 4-inch: 1-6 plants ship for $15.00 / 7-13 plants ship for $18.00 / 14-30 plants ship for $40.00
  • 1-gal: 1-2 plants ship for $18.00 / 3-4 plants ship for $25.00 / 5-6 plants ship for $40.00
  • trees & shrubs: $27.00-$40.00 each, height dependent
  • seeds: $6.75 or free with orders over $15.00

We regret that we cannot ship internationally or to the following states: AK, AZ, CA, CO, FL, HI, ID, MT, NV, OR, UT, or WA.

Read more about our shipping policies here.

Nursery pick up

Plants can be collected from the nursery Monday through Sunday from 10am-4pm in Spring, Summer, and Fall. We prefer 24 hour notice to get your order together and will email you when ready for collection.

Plant Sizes

We most commonly use the following pot sizes for perennials:

  • 4-inch pot: 3.5" H x 3.5" W x 3.5" D
  • 2-quart pot: 6" H x 5.25" W x 5.25" D
  • 1-gallon pot: 6.87" H x 8" Dia (this is a true one gallon pot, not the smaller 'trade' one gallon pot used by many nurseries)

Check out our illustrated pot size guide here.

Representative trees & shrubs are photographed in their pots and posted on each plant page.

Sustainability

Sustainability is at the heart of what we do at The Old Dairy. We grow all of our plants outdoors without the use of chemicals, fertilizers, carbon fuels, or peat.

Many of our perennials are grown in the ground and dug upon order (this is especially true for larger sizes). This practice allows us to grow stronger, healthier plants using native soil, and ultimately reduces our impact on the environment.

Our open-pollinated seeds are collected from plants in our mother beds, which have never been treated with chemicals or sprays of any kind.

Read all about our sustainable practices here.

Potentilla palustris seedling at The Old Dairy Nursery
Potentilla palustris seedling at The Old Dairy Nursery

view this plant in our garden

Potentilla palustris | marsh cinquefoil |

seedling image

Potentilla palustris | marsh cinquefoil

We are slowly creating a seedling image library to help make weeding easier.
Potentilla palustris seedling at The Old Dairy Nursery
Potentilla palustris seedling at The Old Dairy Nursery