Shrub cinquefoil yellow, white, pink

Shrub cinquefoil belongs to the Pink family. There are perennial and annual plants in the genus, not all of them are shrubs. This species is distinguished by the beautiful shape of the bush and the color of the buds, as well as their number. The plant is actively used in landscape design.

The origin and appearance of Potentilla shrub

Shrub cinquefoil (in Latin "Potentilla") - a shrub with a straight trunk and many strong branches, covered with small leaves and small white, pink or yellow flowers. Grows in mountainous areas, less often in swamps. Most often found in Russia, Central Asia and Europe. Potentilla is also grown in China and Japan. The climate of North America is also suitable for this plant.

Pink Beauty variety

The height of the bush depends on the variety. Some varieties of Potentilla are no higher than 10 cm, others reach 1.5 m in height. The bark is gray or reddish brown, flaking. The leaves are oblong or ovate-elongated light green, they are cast in silver and resemble the leaves of room geranium or parsley. There is a slight fluff on the leaves. Shoots grow from the root, a well-formed wide crown has the shape of a ball or hemisphere. The roots themselves are fibrous.

Red Ice variety

In India, Mongolia and Tibet, cinquefoil has long been grown for the purpose of using decoctions and infusions from it for the treatment of various diseases. In Russia, it is also known as Kuril tea.

Descriptions of flowers of shrubby cinquefoil

The buds are simple, small, in many ways they are similar to those that the wild rose hips give. The diameter of a blossoming flower does not even reach 3.5 cm. External sepals:

• have a linear-lanceolate shape;
• formed on the shoots of the current year;
• solid or double-cut at the end.

There are 5 petals in total, the center of each flower consists of 30 stamens. They are tightly pressed together, which makes the middle of the bud look fluffy. Buds on shrub varieties of Potentilla, with 5 leaves each, bloom once, if we are talking about flowers of different sex types.

In the garden

In the central regions of Russia, yellow shrub cinquefoil blooms in June and blooms until November, but provided that there is no severe frost and snow. The duration of flowering depends on the variety: some flowers bloom for no more than 6 hours, others bloom for 1-2 days in a row.

Types and varieties

Potentilla has been cultivated from about the beginning of the 18th century. Initially, the shrub was wild, but to date, at least 130 different varieties of this plant of various shapes, heights, colors of flowers and leaves have been bred. Some varieties can be grown in conditions close to permafrost, others prefer a warm climate, bloom only in the south.Pink Quink, Abbotswood, Red Ace are considered popular.

Princess Variety

Abbotswood

Deciduous shrub 1 m high. The crown is wide, semicircular. Abundant flowering, several hundred snow-white flowers appear on each bush. Flowering is long, some flowers bloom even in October, if the month is warm. Leaves are yellowish-green elongated, up to 2.5-3 cm in length.

This variety of Potentilla tolerates drought well. It should be planted in a well-lit area or in partial shade. The soil should be moist, but not swampy; drainage must be laid at the bottom of the planting pit.

Guildford Cream

Guildford Kirm

Tall shrub with bright green leaves. The average height is 1.2-1.5 m, the size of the rounded crown is 0.8-1 m. In the northern strip it blooms in July. In the south, flowering begins in May and lasts until September. The flowers are large creamy white with a diameter of up to 3 cm. Guildford Kirm's cinquefoil is undemanding to the growing conditions. The main thing is not to overmoisten the soil and often water the plant during a drought, avoiding the appearance of cracks in the ground.

Red Ace

Low shrub, up to 0.50-65 cm in height. To creep along the ground, the crown is extensive, covers an area equal to 1.2 m. The leaves are light green with a silvery tint. Blooms in spring, late April or May. Shoots are mostly creeping. The peeling bark is colored red, reddish brown or gray.

Red Ace loves swampy soils and partial shade. Frost resistance in this variety of Potentilla is high. The plant needs regular pruning. It can be used in any garden area.

Hoppy Orange

Small shrub no more than 0.5 m high. Creeping branches, large flowers, up to 5 cm in diameter. The color of the buds is orange. The plant blooms all summer and most of autumn.

You need to plant in partial shade. If the flowers are exposed to direct sunlight, they fade, the appearance of the plant becomes less attractive. Grows on loose and moist soils. The soil should be sandy loam or loamy, acidic. The alkaline composition of the soil is also important (the brightness of the buds depends on it), if necessary, it is changed artificially. If the amount of alkali in the soil is exceeded, the leaves of Potentilla turn yellow.

Transplanting Potentilla bush after purchase in open ground

The shrubby cinquefoil is planted in the garden in early April (if it is warm, then at the end of March) or in late October - early November before the snow falls. It is important to choose a permanent habitat for the plant and have healthy planting material.

Planting a culture consists of certain stages.

What is needed for landing

Before planting, carefully examine the roots of the seedling, if necessary, remove those damaged by pests and dried. If the stems are excessively high, the plant is pruned along the way. In addition to planting material, you need:

• drainage for the pit - broken earthenware, brick chips, pebbles, coarse sand;
• tool - a shovel, a bucket of water, gloves, pruning shears;
• growth stimulant;
• mineral and organic fertilizers - compost, manure, humus.

Choosing the best place

Cinquefoil prefers well-lit areas of the garden, but does not tolerate direct sunlight. The place is chosen slightly shaded. The bush can be planted by the fence. The optimal distance between cinquefoil and other plants in the garden is 60-70 cm.

The soil needs a slightly acidic, well-drained, saturated with all the nutrients necessary for flower growth. On wetlands, Potentilla is not planted, but its wild species survive in the swamp.

Step-by-step planting process

They are planted following simple instructions:

1. Digging a hole. The depth of the planting pit is about 60 cm, the width is 50-40 cm, but it all depends on the volume of the root system.
2. Drainage The bottom of the pit is covered with a layer of pebbles, sand or broken brick. Layer thickness at least 5 cm.
3. Preparing an earthen mixture. Sod land, humus, peat and some sand are mixed.

The roots are freed from an earthen coma, placed in a hole in the center, covered with earth. The soil around the bush is well compacted. The plant is watered with water (4-5 liters for each bush).

Reproduction of Potentilla

The plant can propagate by cuttings or layering. Young bushes can be propagated by dividing the old mother bushes into several parts. Sometimes cinquefoil is grown from seeds.

Propagation by cuttings

Cuttings are taken in July or August. By this time, the shoots have acquired the necessary elasticity, they are not easy to break. Shoots:

1. Cut early in the morning or in the evening after sunset.
2. They are treated with a solution that stimulates growth, kept in it for 12-15 hours.
3. Free from green mass.
4. They are planted in a pot of earth (the container must have drainage holes).
5. Cover with foil or glass jar.

Each stalk must be at least 8 cm long and have several buds (2-4). The seedlings are watered and sprayed daily. The roots appear in 2-3 weeks, after 2-3 months the plant can be transplanted into the garden.

Growing from cuttings

For reproduction of Potentilla by layering:

1. The soil under the bush is loosened, sand and peat are introduced into it.
2. Choose healthy branches with buds.
3. Cleans from leaves and flowers.
4. An incision is made at the bottom of the branch.
5. Bend the branch to the ground, secure it with wire.
6. Sprinkle with earth.

The layering is regularly watered, the transplant is carried out in the fall, separating the layering from the mother bush with pruning shears.

Caring for Potentilla bushes

Red cinquefoil is unpretentious, but in order to grow it and achieve abundant flowering, the plant needs to be fed 1-2 times a year, watered regularly, cut off and, if necessary, sheltered for the winter.

Autumn works

Watering mode

If the summer is hot, water it at least 3 times a week. Up to 10 liters of water are poured under each bush. Young plants are also sprayed. If the weather is cloudy, the number of waterings is reduced to 1 per week. The water should be warm and settled.

Top dressing

Bush dressing is performed at the beginning and end of the growing season. For this, ready-made mineral fertilizers or organic matter are used. Compost, manure diluted in water will do.

Features of care during the flowering period

During flowering, make sure that the soil under the bushes:

• did not dry out;
• remained loose.

Several times per season, the soil is dug up, trying not to damage the roots. If necessary, plants are treated with insecticides.

Propagation by cuttings

Features of care during the rest period

In late autumn:

• remove all weeds from under the bush;
• the soil is mulched with peat, pine needles;
• the plant is fed;
• pruning bushes.

Watering is stopped. In the spring, preventive measures are taken to protect the bushes from pests and diseases.

The crop can also be planted in a pot

Preparing for winter

There is no need to prepare the bushes for winter in a special way. Most plants can withstand severe frosts without consequences. If there are concerns about the safety of the aboveground part, a hut is erected around the plant from branches and pine paws.

Shrub cinquefoil is an ornamental shrub that grows everywhere in well-lit areas of the garden.It blooms all summer and most of autumn, the buds are small, but there are a lot of them, painted in white, yellow and even orange with a red tint. The care and cultivation of Potentilla shrub can also be entrusted to a non-professional; beginners will also cope with the task.