Similar to Tormentil (Potentilla erecta) but with persistent basal leaf rosettes and with the stems rooting from at least some of the nodes. Leaves often with 5 leaflets, flowers larger than Tormentil (Potentilla erecta), 14 to 18 mm with 4 or 5 petals, solitary or several together. Hybridisation occurs and specimens may need to be confirmed by an expert.

Potentilla reptans, Potentilla erecta and the hybrids Potentilla x mixta and Potentilla x italica

Some flowers with 4 petals like Tormentil, but leaves with 4-5 leaflets and longer petioles, which diminish in length towards the stem apex.  Very similar to the sterile hybrid, but Trailing Cinquefoil is fertile, so the old flowerheads have achenes containing seeds.

Either obtain confirmation from a County Recorder before submitting a record, or submit detailed images showing key features.  We recommend that you take and retain a specimen; the County Recorder may wish to see this for confirmation. (RPR)

Grassland and verges on acid soils.

Flowers June to September.

Perennial.

Scarce in Scotland, Widespread in Wales and western England less common in parts of central and eastern England.

Scarce or under recorded in Leicestershire and Rutland.

In the Flora of Leicestershire (Primavesi and Evans 1988) it was found in 26 of the 617 tetrads, and in the Flora of Rutland (Messenger 1971) in 5 tetrads 

It is listed on the current VC55 Rare Plant Register (Hall and Woodward 2022) as Locally Scarce (i.e. present in 4-10 sites)