Potentilla (Shrubby Cinquefoil)
Dasiphora fruticosa
Family Rosaceae
Potentilla blooms from late spring until frost in climates that kill nearly everything else — a cheerful native mound covered in buttercup-yellow, white, or pink flowers, hardy all the way to zone 2. Where winters are brutal and summers unreliable, it simply shows up and blooms anyway.
At two to four feet it fills borders and foundation runs with no drama: poor soil, drought, heat, and deep cold all read as acceptable, and bees patronize the flowers for months. For northern gardens tired of losing shrubs to winter, this is the dependable friend — plant a row.
Where to buy potentilla (shrubby cinquefoil) — 1 nursery compared
Full Sun
Low water
Moderate growth
Native to North America
Attracts bees
From the print shop
Growing potentilla (shrubby cinquefoil)? Hang it.
Our Plant Library collection carries potentilla (shrubby cinquefoil) — Dasiphora fruticosa, print Nº 376, “Potentilla (Shrubby Cinquefoil).”
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Will it thrive where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what potentilla (shrubby cinquefoil) actually needs.
Hardy inZones 2-7Potentilla (Shrubby Cinquefoil) · Common problems
Common potentilla (shrubby cinquefoil) problems
Pests
1 problem on file
- Almost none
Diseases
1 problem on file
- Almost none
Potentilla (Shrubby Cinquefoil) · Growing & propagation
Growing potentilla (shrubby cinquefoil)
- Light
- Full Sun
- Water
- Low
Drought-tough
Soil- Any, even poor · pH 6.0 - 7.5
Fertilizer- None needed
Pruning- Late Winter
Shear by a third every few years to renew — Nearly indestructible; shear old woody plants hard to rejuvenate. Blooms on new wood.
Spacing- 2-3 ft
How to plant & propagate potentilla (shrubby cinquefoil)
- Propagate
- Seed (stratify), cuttings, or layering
Potentilla (Shrubby Cinquefoil) · Calculators & field guides
A little help in the garden.
Potentilla (Shrubby Cinquefoil) · Yearly calendar
The potentilla (shrubby cinquefoil) year, month by month
Jan
No calendar activity is listed for this month.
BloomPruneBloomMay
PruneFebruary to March
What each band means
- Bloom — flowers open — pollinators working, frost on blossoms is the danger.
- Prune — shape it now — cuts heal cleanly and structure is visible.
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
Potentilla (Shrubby Cinquefoil) · Ecology & uses
Ecology & uses
Dasiphora fruticosa
Potentilla (Shrubby Cinquefoil) in the garden system
- Shrub layer shrub
- Nectary/insectary
Attracts- Bees
Moisture- Upland / dry
Deer- Browsed
Protect young plants
- Origin
- Native to North America
What potentilla (shrubby cinquefoil) is grown for
✓ Not known to be toxic
Use- Cold climates
- Use
- Long bloom
- Use
- Low-care filler
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
Potentilla (Shrubby Cinquefoil) · Varieties & cultivars
Choosing a potentilla (shrubby cinquefoil) variety
'Goldfinger' (yellow); 'Abbotswood' (white); 'Pink Beauty'; 'Happy Face' series
Sources & plant identity
Know what you’re growing.
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Potentilla (Shrubby Cinquefoil)
Dasiphora fruticosa
The plant, at a glance.
- Botanical name
- Dasiphora fruticosa
- Plant family
- Rosaceae
- Growth habit
- Shrub · Perennial
- Origin
- Native to North America
- USDA plant symbol
- DAFR6
- Invasive risk
- Low
Hardiness, size and timing vary with your cultivar, soil and climate.
Rooted in research.
University extension research, brought together with hands-on growing experience at Story Thyme Farms.
Questions
Potentilla (Shrubby Cinquefoil) questions, answered straight.
Is potentilla (shrubby cinquefoil) safe for kids and pets?
Potentilla (Shrubby Cinquefoil) is commonly eaten and isn't considered toxic, but "commonly eaten" isn't a guarantee for any particular person or animal — allergies, quantity, and which part you eat all matter. Never eat a plant you haven't positively identified, and check with a vet before letting pets or livestock graze anything new.
How do you propagate potentilla (shrubby cinquefoil)?
Seed (stratify), cuttings, or layering.
Elsewhere
Where potentilla (shrubby cinquefoil) sits in the library.
Rose
Hydrangea
Common Lilac
Forsythia