Silverweed, Goose grass, Goose tansy, Shrubby cinquefoil, Argentine, Tibetan sweet potato
Potentilla anserina

Family: Rosaceae

What it is like

A herb. It keeps growing from year to year. It grows 30 cm tall. The roots are prolonged downwards. It can have root tubers. The leaves near the root have 6-11 pairs of leaflets. The leaves on the stem have fewer leaflets. The flowers occur singly in the axils of leaves. The petals are yellow.

There are about 200-500 Potentilla species. They are mostly in temperate and frigid zones.

Where it is found

It grows in temperate places. It grows in wet places and on mountain slopes between 500-4100 m altitude in N China. It grows on wet sandy shores and salt marshes. It grows in wetlands. Tasmania Herbarium. In Sichuan. In Inner Mongolia.

Countries/locations it is found in

Alaska, Arctic, Asia, Australia, Balkans, Bosnia, Britain, Canada, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Europe, Falklands, Faroe Islands, Germany, Himalayas, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Mongolia, New Zealand, North America, Norway, Poland, Scandinavia, Siberia, Slovenia, South America, Sweden, Tasmania, Tibet, USA

How it is used for food

The fleshy roots can be roasted and added to soups and stews. The roots can be boiled for 20 minutes and served with butter. The young leaves are used as a vegetable and used raw in salads. The leaves are used for tea.

A famine food. It is highly valued in some places. The roots are especially eaten by children.

Edible parts

Roots, tubers, leaves, leaves - tea

How it is grown

Plants can spread by runners that form roots at the nodes.

Its other names

Local names

Chuo ma, Chuomo, Foldi mogyoro, Gosji petoprstnik, Gro ma, Guscija trava, Jue ma, Libapimpo, Taulain tangnai

Synonyms

Argentina anserina (L.) Rydb.; Argentina anserina var. concolor (Ser.) Rydb.; Argentina argentea Rydb.; Argentina vulgaris Lam.; Dactylophyllum anserina (L.) Spenn.; Dasiphora anserina (L.) Raf.; Fragaria anserina (L.) Crantz; Potentilla anserina var. anserina; Potentilla anserina subsp. anserina; Potentilla anserina var. concolor Wallr.; Potentilla anserina var. discolor Wallr.; Potentilla anserina var. hirsuta Th.Wolf; Potentilla anserina var. holosericea Gaudin; Potentilla anserina var. nuda Gaudin; Potentilla anserina var. sericea Hayne; Potentilla anserina var. tenella Lange; Potentilla anserina var. viridis W. D. J. Koch; Potentilla anserina var. vulgaris Hayne; Potentilla anserina var. yukonensis (Hult‚n) B. Boivin; Potentilla argentina Huds.; Potentilla concolor (Wallr.) Zimmeter; Potentilla egedii subsp. yukonensis (Hult‚n) Hult‚n; Potentilla geminiflora Zimmeter; Potentilla pratincola B .Boivin; Potentilla pulchra Salisb.; Potentilla yukonensis Hult‚n; Tormentilla anserina (L.) Stokes;