Potentilla fruticosa: Shrubby Cinquefoil

Shrubby Cinquefoil – Long-Blooming Shrub

Potentilla fruticosa is a bushy deciduous shrub (3 feet tall, 5 feet wide) bred in numerous cultivars with flowers in white, yellow, pink, peach, orange, and red. Small, single, rose-like blooms appear continuously from late spring to early fall on finely textured dark green foliage.

Culture

Full sun, well-drained soil, USDA Zones 3–7. Prune lightly in spring (flowers on new growth). Propagate by seed (fall/spring) or softwood cuttings (early summer). Susceptible to mildews, rust, leaf spots.

Attributes

• Attracts beneficial insects
• Showy flowers over long season
• Drought tolerant once established
• Moderate maintenance

Uses

Excellent for borders, mass plantings, and low hedges in sunny locations.