Three-Toothed Cinquefoil - Sibbaldiopsis tridentata

Sibbaldiopsis tridentata, also known as Potentilla tridentata, Three-Toothed Cinquefoil, Wineleaf Potentilla, or Shrubby Fivefingers, is a perennial wildflower native to the Upper Peninsula and parts of northern Michigan. I love the U.P. specialist species! This one likes the harsh environments where other plants fear to tread: cracks in rock, stabilized dunes, sandy soil, jack pine and oak forests, lakeshores, gravel... anyplace that keeps taller plants away, including mowed lawns. It prefers sunny spots but will deal with dappled shade.
 
It needs the harsh environments free from competition, because with foliage about 4 inches tall, it could easily be crowded out in more lush environments. Stems with small white flowers can reach 12 inches in a loose cloud above the foliage. Flowers in June and July. The foliage is held on short woody stems and is mostly evergreen. It is accented with red and orange in the fall, giving rise to one of the common names: Wineleaf. Pairs well with other short or loose-growing plants that don't hog space, such as Harebell (Campanula rotundifolia), Poverty Oat Grass (Danthonia spicata), and Rock Harlequin (Corydalis sempervirens). Good for rock gardens, lawns, gravel, and poor sandy soils.
 
Like many species more common in the U.P. than elsewhere, information on insect relationships is not readily available. If you see it on your hikes, iNaturalist any insects you see making use of it and lets see if we can change that. However, as a member of the Rose family, Rosaceae, it is likely popular with bees and a host plant for butterflies and moths like its kin.