Cultivation and Uses of Shrubby Cinquefoil

Shrubby Cinquefoil is a popular ornamental plant throughout the cooler regions of Europe, the United States and Canada. Different cultivars are variable with flowers ranging from white to yellow, orange and pink, but they are all hardy plants that produce flowers for much of the summer. The flowers are always small, flat, and round, but there are many dozens on each bush. It is very often used by cities and businesses for landscaping because of its hardiness and low maintenance. It was introduced into cultivation in the 1700s, but many of the modern cultivars, particularly those with orange or red flowers, derive from collections by Reginald Farrer in western China in the early 20th century. Plants are most often still grown and sold under the old name Potentilla fruticosa.

Over 130 cultivars have been named; some of the more recommended current cultivars include:

• 'Abbotswood' - large white flowers and bluish green foliage. RHS Award of Garden Merit.

• 'Beanii' - green foliage and white flowers.

• 'Coronation Triumph' - medium-bright yellow flowers, plants are drought- and cold-tolerant and heavy bloomers.

• 'Daydawn' - salmon-pink flowers. RHS Award of Garden Merit.

• 'Day Dawn Viette' - peach-soft rose flowers highlighted with cream.

• 'Elizabeth' - yellow flowers to 3.5 cm diameter.

• 'Farreri' - leaves mostly with seven leaflets, flowers golden yellow.

• 'Farrer's White' - as 'Farreri', but with white flowers.

• 'Goldfinger' - deep golden-yellow flowers on plants with dark green foliage, good plant form and heavy flowering.

• 'Katherine Dykes' - gracefully arching branches with lemon-yellow flowers, medium green foliage. Needs regular trimming to keep from becoming leggy.

• 'Klondike' - large bright yellow flowers, 3.5-4 cm diameter.

• 'Maanelys' ('Moonlight') - leaves blue-green, flowers pale yellow.

• 'Mckay's White' - creamy white flowers

• 'Mount Everest' - flowers large, 3-3.5 cm, white.

• 'Pink Queen' - pink flowers.

• 'Primrose Beauty' - pale yellow flowers, silver tinted foliage. A good performer in the landscape with good habit and blooming, introduced in the Netherlands in 1955. RHS Award of Garden Merit.

• 'Pyrenaica' - prostrate, to 20 cm tall; leaves mostly with three leaflets; flowers golden yellow.

• 'Red Ace' - bushy, upright shrub bearing profusions of single bright orange flowers from early summer to first frost. RHS Award of Garden Merit.

• 'Snowbird' - double flowers with 12–15 white petals. Blooms more than 'Abbotswood' and has dark green foliage.

• 'Tangerine' - as 'Farreri', but with orange-red flowers.

• 'Vilmoriniana' - vigorous, to 1.3 m tall; leaves grey-white hairy, flowers ivory white to pale yellow.

• 'Walton Park' - flowers very large, 3.5-4 cm, golden yellow.

• 'William Purdom' - leaves mostly with seven leaflets, flowers pale yellow.

• 'Yellow Bird' - bright yellow semi-double flowers with 8–10 petals. Medium green foliage and winter hardy, introduced from University of Manitoba. RHS Award of Garden Merit.





Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potentilla_fruticosa

See also: Flowers Jamaica, Gift Philippines, Flower Philippines