Prairie Cinquefoil (Drymocallis arguta)
Prairie Cinquefoil is a drought-resistant plant whose flowers attract a number of small bees. It is the host to 4 (or more) species of butterflies and moths in our area and a host to 3 specialist bees (Johnson and Colla, 2023). It seems to be generally deer-resistant, but they and other mammals may occasionally browse the foliage (illinoiswildflower.info).
Photo credit: USFWS Mountain-Prairie
Prairie Cinquefoil is a drought-resistant plant whose flowers attract a number of small bees. It is the host to 4 (or more) species of butterflies and moths in our area and a host to 3 specialist bees (Johnson and Colla, 2023). It seems to be generally deer-resistant, but they and other mammals may occasionally browse the foliage (illinoiswildflower.info).
Photo credit: USFWS Mountain-Prairie
Prairie Cinquefoil is a drought-resistant plant whose flowers attract a number of small bees. It is the host to 4 (or more) species of butterflies and moths in our area and a host to 3 specialist bees (Johnson and Colla, 2023). It seems to be generally deer-resistant, but they and other mammals may occasionally browse the foliage (illinoiswildflower.info).
Photo credit: USFWS Mountain-Prairie
Life Cycle: Perennial
Sun Exposure: Full-Partial
Soil Moisture: Medium - Dry
Height: 1-3 feet
Plant Spacing: 1-1.5 feet
Bloom Time: June-September
Bloom Color: White
Advantages: Deer Resistant
Host: 4 or so species of butterflies and moths use this as a caterpillar host plant in our area (Johnson and Colla, 2023)
Specialist Bee(s): Andrena ziziaeformis, A. melanochroa, and Panurginus potentillae (Johnson and Colla, 2023)
Resource: Johnson, Lorraine, and Sheila Colla. A Northern Gardener’s Guide to Native Plants and Pollinators: Creating Habitat in the Northeast, Great Lakes, and Upper Midwest. Island Press, 2023
