Rediscover Potentillas fi nd out

Potentillas come is a wide range of colours, including the bold red of herbaceous type ‘Gibson’s Scarlet’

It’s time to rediscover

Potentillas

Under used and under-appreciated, cinquefoils have huge garden potential and will bring months of colour. Make 2020 the year you give them a try, says Louise Curley

PARTICULARLY popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when the celebrated French plant breeder Victor Lemoine created many new hybrids, potentillas used to be widely grown. But as tastes changed they fell out of favour, and these days seeing them in the garden has become a bit of a novelty –which is a great shame as there are few plants as unfussy and low maintenance, or as free-flowering. Potentillas come from a wide range of habitats, including dry, rocky places, bogs and acid fens, sandy soils and grassland, in Europe, the Himalayas, North America and even the Arctic. The two types most commonly grown in gardens are the deciduous shrubby ones –with a woody framework of stems covered in wild rose-like flowers in summer –and herbaceous perennials that emerge from below ground in spring, with strawberry-like leaves and blooms. There are also alpine potentillas that are perfect for troughs and rockeries. They’re a member of the rose family –hence the flowers –and the common name cinquefoil refers to the five leaflets that make up each actual leaf.

New name Recently, Potentilla fruticosa , the shrubby cinquefoil, has had its name changed to Dasiphora fruticosa . However this change has yet to be widely accepted and, for the moment at least, you’re still most likely to see the plants labelled as potentillas. Both the shrubby and herbaceous types come in a good range of colours –some in pastel shades of pink, apricot and lemon yellow, others in vibrant reds and oranges. Shrubby potentillas make neat, rounded forms, whereas the herbaceous perennials divide into t wo groups: those with an upright habit and those with lax stems that naturally sprawl. The latter look lovely planted to tumble over the edges of paths. For a contemporary feel, combine potentillas with ornamental grasses; or use hot, fiery-coloured ones in exotic planting schemes alongside lush foliage, vibrant dahlias and Verbena bonariensis . And try underplanting shrubby potentillas with low-growing perennials like longflowering Geranium ‘Bill Wallis’. Spring, when the ground starts to warm up, is the ideal time to plant them. So use the coming weeks to rediscover these fantastic plants, which will add summer-long colour to your garden.

Where to buy

9 potentillas to try

Shrubby

P. fruticosa ‘Abbotswood’ AGM A bushy, deciduous shrub with small, dark green leaves covered in delicate, single, pure white flowers from June to September. The compact habit of this potentilla makes it a good choice for growing as a low, informal hedge. H&S: 39in (1m).

Alpine

P. fruticosa ‘Daydawn’ A shrub that’s neat enough for even the smallest of gardens to accommodate. From early summer to early autumn it’s studded with a mass of saucer-shaped flowers in a mix of pink, pale orange and golden yellow –like the colours of a sunset. H&S: 32in (80cm).

Herbaceous

P. nitida ‘Rubra’ Mat-forming; ideal for planting in a trough or tumbling over low walls. The short stems are topped with pink flowers that feature contrasting cerise centres and prominent pink anthers. Needs a gritty, free-draining soil. HxS: 2x6in (5x15cm). ‘Volcan’ Sumptuous red, semi-double flowers with almost black centres cover long, branching stems above a mound of apple green foliage. Plant to tumble over the edges of paths, or to scramble through other low-growing perennials. HxS: 1½x2ft (45x60cm).

P. fruticosa ‘Primrose Beauty’ AGM Exquisite wild rose-like flowers, in a delicate primrose yellow with darker centres, smother this potentilla from late spring to autumn. Like other shrubby types, it requires little maintenance, and the open blooms are a magnet for pollinating insects. H&S: 39in (1m).

‘William Rollisson’ AGM An eye-catching potentilla with fabulous flame-coloured petals in rich orange with flashes of yellow gold. Semi-double, with rows of ruffled petals, the blooms resemble rosettes. Plant with purple for a striking combination. Flowers: JunSept. HxS: 11/2x2ft (45x60cm).

Potentilla x tonguei AGM Low-growing but spreading, the staghorn cinquefoil features dark green leaves that form the backdrop to apricot yellow flowers with red centres from June to August. Plant in a gravel garden, or in well-drained soil at the edges of paths. HxS: 5inx2ft (12x60cm).

P. nepalensis ‘Miss Willmott’ Throughout summer the long, branching stems are covered in loose clusters of rose pink flowers with cherry red centres. The attractive midgreen, strawberry-like foliage makes good ground cover at the front of borders. HxS: 14inx2ft (35x60cm). ‘Arc-en-ciel’ This upright potentilla has large flowers –blowsy double blooms in a mix of rich red and bronze-orange, with golden yellow edging that gets wider as the flowers mature. The range of colours is reflected in the name –arc-en-ciel is French for rainbow. H&S: 1½ft (45cm).

What to plant with potentillas

Stipa tenuissima AGM The branching stems of herbaceous potentillas mingle well with the wispy flowers of this graceful grass, which fade from silvery-green to bleached blonde as summer progresses. Needs full sun and well-drained soil. HxS: 2x1ft (60x30cm).

Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’ AGM With compact mounds of grey-green foliage, almost black stems and rich purple flowers, this perennial salvia will complement both shrubby and herbaceous potentillas, in either pastel or jewel-like shades. H&S: 20in (50cm).

Erigeron karvinskianus AGM Plant the Mexican fleabane around the base of shrubby potentillas, and from May to November those clouds of pretty pink and white daisies will act as fabulous ground cover. One for well-drained soil and full sun. HxS: 14inx2ft (35x60cm).

Growing tips

Potentillas prefer welldrained soil, especially the alpine types. Pruning is minimal for shrubby potentillas –leave them to grow naturally and only remove any dead growth in spring. Herbaceous potentillas tend to die back naturally in autumn. Any remaining growth can be trimmed back in early spring. Divide herbaceous potentillas every three to four years, in early spring.

Rosa glauca AGM A truly beautiful rose, featuring tall, arching stems, unusual grey and plum-coloured foliage and single, deep pink, early summer flowers. The bare lower stems are a drawback, so use herbaceous potentillas to camouflage them. H&S: 8ft (2½m).

Why not try...

Taking shrubby potentilla cuttings

Take softwood cuttings in spring or early summer. Remove new, non-flowerin growth above a leaf joint, then trim to below a leaf node –the cutting should be 2-4in (5-10cm) long. Dip the end in hormone rooting powder before inserting it in a pot filled with cuttings compost. Water, label and place in a heated propagator; or cover with a plastic bag to retain humidity.