It is native to Eurasia but it is present in North America as an introduced species, ranging through almost the entire continent except the northernmost part of Canada and Alaska.

Sulphur cinquefoil is a perennial herb and is a tufted plant growing from a woody taproot or caudex.

The inflorescence is a cyme of several flowers which are generally light to pale yellow in color, with white to gold-flowered individuals occurring at times.

Each flower has five calyx lobes, five broad, shallowly-notched petals, thirty stamens, many pistils and a separate gynoecium.

[2] Its natural habitat is arable fields, gardens, banks, hedgerows, wasteland, logging clearings, loading areas and occasionally shores.