Shrubby Cinquefoil

''Dasiphora fruticosa'' is a species of hardy deciduous flowering shrub in the family Rosaceae, native to the cool temperate and subarctic regions of the northern hemisphere, often growing at high altitudes in mountains. ''Dasiphora fruticosa'' is still widely referenced in the horticultural literature under its synonym ''Potentilla fruticosa''. Common names include shrubby cinquefoil, golden hardhack, bush cinquefoil, shrubby five-finger, widdy, and kuril tea.

Description

It grows to tall, rarely up to . The habit is variably upright to sprawling or prostrate, but stems are often ascending especially those stems with many long branches. The bark of older stems is shreddy with long thin strips. The plants are densely leafy, the leaves divided into five or seven (occasionally three or nine) pinnate leaflets. The leaflets are linear-oblong, long, with entire margins and more or less acute ends. The foliage (both leaves and young stems) is pubescent, variably covered in fine silky, silvery hairs about 1 mm long. The flowers are produced terminally on the stems and are cm across, buttercup-shaped, with five petals and 15–25 stamens; the petals are pale to bright yellow (orange to reddish in some western Chinese populations). The fruit is a cluster of achenes covered with long hairs. The species is variably dioecious or bisexual; flowering is typically from early to late summer. It is normally found growing in moisture-retentive soils in swamps and rocky areas.Flora of NW Europe
''Potentilla fruticosa''
Blamey, M. & Grey-Wilson, C. (1989). ''Flora of Britain and Northern Europe''. Flora of China
''Potentilla fruticosa''
/ref>Jepson Flora of California
''Potentilla fruticosa''
/ref>Plants of British Columbia
''Pentaphylloides fruticosa''
/ref>Huxley, A, ed. (1992). ''New RHS Dictionary of Gardening'' 3: 697. Macmillan .

The plant is usually only eaten by wildlife when other food sources are scarce, but the leaves of the plant may be boiled to make a tisane called kuril tea.

Taxonomy

Sources vary in the number of infraspecific taxa accepted. , the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN) accepts two subspecies:
*''Dasiphora fruticosa'' subsp. ''fruticosa''. Described from Yorkshire, England and Öland, Sweden.Linnaeus, C. (1753). ''Species Plantarum'' 1: 495
Online facsimile (scroll to page 495)
/ref> Northern Europe (scattered, in Estonia, Great Britain, Ireland, Latvia, and Sweden) and northern and central Asia.
*''Dasiphora fruticosa'' subsp. ''floribunda'' (Pursh) Kartesz (syns. ''Potentilla floribunda'' Pursh., ''Dasiphora floribunda'' (Pursh) Raf., ''Pentaphylloides floribunda'' (Pursh) A.Love)). Described from Canada, New York, and New Jersey, North America.Pursh, F. T. (1813). ''Flora Americae Septentrionalis'' 1: 355-356
Online facsimile (scroll to pages 355-356)
Asia, southern Europe (Spain east to Bulgaria), and North America.

, Plants of the World Online does not recognize ''Dasiphora fruticosa'' subsp. ''floribunda'', but does recognize a variety distinct from ''Dasiphora fruticosa'' var. ''fruticosa'':
* ''Dasiphora fruticosa'' var. ''veitchii'' (E.H.Wilson) Nakai (syns ''Dasiphora veitchii'' (E.H.Wilson) Soják, ''Potentilla arbuscula'' var. ''veitchii'' (E.H.Wilson) Liou, ''Potentilla veitchii'' E.H.Wilson), native to China (Sichuan, Yunnan)

Numerous other varieties have been described from Asia, some of which have not yet been published under the genus ''Dasiphora'', and others in that genus only as distinct species. These include ''Potentilla fruticosa'' var. ''albicans'' Rehd. & Wils., ''P. f.'' var. ''arbuscula'' (D.Don) Maxim. (syn. ''Dasiphora arbuscula'' (D.Don) Soják), ''P. f.'' var. ''dahurica'' (Nestl.) Ser. (syn. ''Dasiphora dahurica'' (Nestl.) Komarov), ''P. f.'' var. ''pumila'' J.D.Hooker, ''P. f.'' var. ''mandschurica'' (Maxim.) Wolf (syn. ''Dasiphora mandshurica'' (Maxim.) Juz.), and ''P. f.'' var. ''unifoliolata'' Ludlow (syn. ''Dasiphora unifoliolata'' (Ludlow) Soják). The varieties ''D. f.'' var. ''monticola'' Rydb. and ''D. f.'' var. ''tenuiloba'' Rydb. have been described from western North America, but are not widely accepted as distinct.

Cultivation and decorative uses

Shrubby cinquefoil is a popular ornamental plant in temperate regions. 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 18th century, 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. The vast majority of sellers and gardeners still use the old name ''Potentilla fruticosa''.

All the characteristics of small leaves, delicate flowers, and orange to brown flaky bark make the shrubby cinquefoil suitable for Bonsai. It is very popular in Japan and is gaining popularity in Europe.

Cultivars

Below is a recommended selection of over 130 cultivars which have been named. Those marked have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
*'Abbotswood' - large white flowers and bluish green foliage.
*'Beanii' - green foliage and white flowers.
*'Chelsea Star' - small yellow flowers.
*'Coronation Triumph' - medium-bright yellow flowers, plants are drought- and cold-tolerant and heavy bloomers.
*'Daydawn' - salmon-pink flowers.
*'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.
*'Groneland' - white flowers tinged yellow.
*'Hopleys Orange' - orange flowers
*'Jackman's Variety' - yellow flowers
*'Katherine Dykes' - gracefully arching branches with lemon-yellow flowers, medium green foliage; needs regular trimming to keep from becoming leggy
*'King Cup' - bright yellow flowers similar to kingcup
*'Klondike' - large bright yellow flowers, 3.5–4 cm diameter
*'Limelight' - pale yellow flowers with darker centres
* = 'Marrob' (PBR) - red flowers, yellow on reverse
*'Maanelys' ('Moonlight') - leaves blue-green, flowers pale yellow
*'Mckay's White' - creamy white flowers
*'Medicine Wheel Mountain' - almost prostrate with bright yellow flowers
*'Mount Everest' - flowers large, 3-3.5 cm, white
*'Pink Beauty' - deep pink flowers
*'Pink Queen' - pink flowers
*'Primrose Beauty' - pale yellow flowers, silver tinted foliage;
*'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
*'Snowbird' - double flowers with 12–15 white petals. Blooms more than 'Abbotswood' and has dark green foliage
*'Sommerflor' - golden yellow flowers
*'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

References

{{Taxonbar, from1=Q161169, from2=Q6083585

Potentilleae
Flora of Europe
Flora of North America
Flora of temperate Asia
Dioecious plants
Plants described in 1753
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus