Shrubby Cinquefoil (Potentilla) vs Nuttalls Sunflower - TreeTime.ca

Shrubby Cinquefoil (Potentilla) vs Nuttalls Sunflower

Helianthus nuttallii

Dasiphora fruticosa (Potentilla fruticosa)

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Nuttalls Sunflower
Shrubby Cinquefoil (Potentilla)

Nuttall’s Sunflower is a native perennial wildflower known for its bright, golden-yellow blooms. Flowering from mid to late summer, it offers a late-season nectar source for various bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, while the seeds provide a fall food source for birds. The upright growth habit adds structural height and visual variety to your landscape.

Nuttall’s Sunflower can be found growing in moist to wet meadows, prairies, and open spaces. It can spread quickly via underground rhizomes, making it ideal for large-scale plantings. It is well-suited for naturalization, soil stabilization, riparian zones, and wetland restoration projects. If planting in smaller urban yards or gardens, extra care and maintenance will be required to limit its spread.

Shrubby Cinquefoil is a small, deciduous flowering shrub. This hardy species is densely covered with leaves and produces pale to bright yellow buttercup-shaped flowers terminally on the stems.

Flowering typically occurs from early to late summer. Shrubby Cinquefoil is a popular ornamental shrub choice and is capable of growing on a variety of sites.

Nuttalls Sunflower Quick Facts

Shrubby Cinquefoil (Potentilla) Quick Facts

Zone: 2b
Zone: 1a
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: upright, colony forming
Spreading: rhizomes - medium, seeds - low
Suckering: medium


Flowers: golden yellow, daisy-like
Flowers: bright yellow cup-shaped
Bloom time: late summer to early fall
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, NT, NU
Other Names: common tall sunflower
Other Names: tundra rose