Cinquefoil planting and care in the open field for beginners

The genus Potentilla is characterized by a wide variety of species (from low-growing grasses to stately shrubs), but planting and care in the open field are similar for these plants, because they are all unpretentious in cultivation. We will tell you what to look for.

Particularly fastidious are only white cinquefoil (it grows well only in the shade), shiny cinquefoil (it thrives on dry sandy soil on the southern side of the site) and arctic cinquefoil (needs acidic soil). Other types of Potentilla prefer well-lit places where there is shade in the afternoon (for example, from other plants). The soil should ideally be loose, slightly acidic, nutritious, well-drained and with a little lime.

Planting Potentilla

Cultivation of shrub Potentilla is not difficult even for a beginner. They start planting a seedling in the spring, when the snow melts and the soil thaws. But if you are late with this matter, planting or transplanting Potentilla can also be carried out in late summer - early autumn.

The planting hole should be about 2 times deeper and wider than the earthen ball of the seedling. Drainage must be laid on the bottom (preferably lime gravel), after which the hole is approximately half filled with a mixture of humus, leafy earth and sand (in a ratio of 2: 2: 1), 150 g of complex mineral fertilizer for ornamental plants is also added there. The seedling is lowered into the hole and covered with the same soil mixture so that its root collar is located just above the ground level. Then the soil is tamped and watered abundantly.

For group plantings, the distance between seedlings should be at least 30 cm

So that the soil does not dry out quickly, the planting site is mulched with straw, bark or sawdust. This is especially true in the first 3-4 weeks after planting, since with a lack of moisture, the seedling does not take root well and may die.

Growing Potentilla from seeds

Grassy cinquefoil is usually grown from seeds. Seeds are sown in autumn (before winter) in open ground, then they undergo natural stratification there, and germinate together in spring. Seedlings only need to be planted so that they do not interfere with each other. And with minimal care, a delicate cinquefoil will flaunt on your site.

Potentilla seedlings grow rather slowly, so please be patient

Seeds can also be sown in spring (early March) for seedlings. They are germinated in fertile soil under polyethylene at a temperature of 15-20 ° C and watered regularly.With the appearance of 2-3 true leaves, the seedlings dive into separate pots (possibly in peat ones), and at the end of summer they are planted in open ground. In late autumn, young plants are covered with spunbond, otherwise in winter they risk freezing out.

In the first year, such Potentilla does not bloom. Therefore, to receive flowers, you will have to wait for the next season. And it is important to properly care for the plant.

Potentilla care

Cinquefoil is very popular in landscape design due to its unpretentious care. The plant needs regular weeding, loosening of the soil and timely watering during a drought. And if you mulch the plantings with peat or sawdust in the spring, then these manipulations can be done less often.

To achieve lush flowering, it is recommended to feed the cinquefoil in May, July and at the end of August with a complex mineral fertilizer for flowering plants. Although on fertile soil, it grows well without additional fertilizing. However, flower growers still recommend at least once a year (in spring) to apply phosphorus and potassium sulfate under each adult bush (25-30 g of each fertilizer per 10 liters of water). Consumption - 1 bucket per plant.

Erect cinquefoil, or galangal

In dry summers, the plant becomes "stuffy", so it often fades quickly. To prevent this from happening, every evening after sultry weather, Potentilla is sprayed with water from a spray bottle. Then flowering will be longer.

With good care, diseases and pests do not bother the cinquefoil. In exceptional cases, the plant can be attacked by rust, spotting and powdery mildew. Any fungicide (Bordeaux liquid, Fitosporin-M) can easily cope with these fungal diseases.

Of the pests on the cinquefoil, scoops can be found. An insecticide (Decis, Fitoverm) will help to cope with them. A few sprays with an interval of 2 weeks are enough.

Adult plants (both herbaceous and shrub Potentilla) do not need shelter for the winter. Only cuttings rooted this year and young seedlings are insulated.

Pruning Potentilla

When growing shrub Potentilla, one should not forget about timely pruning. Otherwise, the plant will quickly turn into a shapeless bush. In early spring and late autumn, all broken, dry and thickening branches are removed from the shrub, and the desired shape is also created (most often in the form of a ball or pillow).

Cinquefoil Elizabeth

In addition, in the spring, the growth of the last year is shortened by 1/3, after the end of flowering, the shoots are again cut by a third, and in the fall, over-extended branches are completely cut out. Every 5 years, a rejuvenating "stump" pruning is carried out.

• Correct pruning of ornamental shrubs - everything you wanted to know

  9 techniques for pruning shrubs with a description of the process and diagrams.

How to propagate Potentilla

The most popular reproduction of Potentilla cuttings... They are cut in the summer from the ends of the shoots. It is best to do this before flowering, but if necessary, you can do it later, and you should remove the flowers. Cuttings (8-14 cm long) are rooted in wet perlite, sphagnum or sand for a month in a room with a temperature of 15-18 ° C and periodically watered and sprayed from a spray bottle.

Rooting of Potentilla cuttings in moss

• How to root cuttings of ornamental plants in sphagnum: step by step instructions

  Learn how to properly root cuttings in sphagnum rolls.

Also in the summer, you can root cuttings of Potentilla in the open field in a shady corner of the garden. At the same time, they are covered with a glass jar or a cut plastic bottle and sprayed with a spray bottle at least once a day. For the winter, cuttings are covered with spruce branches or spunbond.

Potentilla can also be propagated dividing the bush and layering. In the first case, a bush 3-4 years old is chosen and divided in spring (April-May) or early autumn (early September). In this case, the plant is dug up, the rhizome is washed and cut with a sharp knife into pieces with 2-3 buds.The roots of the cut are dipped into a rooting stimulator (for example, Kornevin), after which they are planted in the ground so that there is a distance of 20 to 40 cm between the plants.

Layers Potentilla is propagated in the first half of summer. The low-growing lateral shoot is bent to the ground (it can be slightly cut on the outside), placed in a pre-dug groove, pinned and sprinkled with moistened soil. By the fall, the cuttings will form their root system, then they can be separated from the mother plant and transplanted to a permanent place in the garden.

Cinquefoil is not only a beautiful, but also a medicinal plant. So, using our advice, you can ennoble the garden and at the same time improve your health.

When planning to grow and propagate new crops in your garden, think about cinquefoil. Abundant and long-lasting flowering, easy care are the main advantages of this perennial. The article will tell you about the varieties of Potentilla and its planting in the open field.

Description of Potentilla: varieties and varieties

If in ancient times healers wanted to stop the blood from the wound, to anesthetize or cure poisoning, the cinquefoil came to the rescue. Care and cultivation of a crop does not cause trouble for gardeners. Now the perennial is more cultivated as an ornamental plant. There are at least 500 species of Potentilla shrub (five-leafed). Here are just some varieties:

1. Annette - up to 0.5 m, flowers are orange with a reddish tinge.

   Annette variety

2. Longacre - with yellow flowers.

   Longacre variety

3. Pink Queen - with creeping shoots and pink flowers, up to 60 cm in height.

   Pink Queen variety

4. Princess is a perennial cultivar with pale pink flowers.

   Princess variety

Anyone who has been growing and breeding Potentilla for several years knows that it makes an excellent drink rich in vitamin C. For this plant is called Kuril tea. In Siberia and the Kuriles, it is most common as a remedy for colds and flu. Those who have already used cinquefoil in landscape design on their site, probably liked the ease of its cultivation and unpretentious care.

Planting a plant

The best option for a place is partial shade. When planting in a sunny area, you risk not admiring the bright bloom of the five-leafed plant. Some varieties burn out under hot rays. In absolute shade, the plant will not develop well.

Advice. Cinquefoil tolerates planting well not only in open ground, but also in large flowerpots on balconies or loggias.

The soil should be rich in humus, well-drained, loam is preferred. The most demanding in this regard are pink varieties. Plant Potentilla in spring or fall. The depth of the holes is about 50 cm, the distance between them is about 60-80 cm. Lay the drainage in a layer up to 20 cm. It is best to use lime gravel: it contains calcium.

Choose a cozy place in partial shade for Potentilla

Pour soil with sand and humus on top. Place the seedling in the hole, making sure that the root collar does not go deep into the ground. Cover it with soil in combination with a complex mineral fertilizer. The final stages of planting are abundant watering and mulching with sawdust.

Advice. In addition to compost and sand, 100 g of lime or ash can be added to the pits for nutrition and maintenance.

Potentilla care

For good outdoor growth and flowering, the five-leaf plant needs moist soil. Therefore, the main rule of care is watering. Often, Potentilla has enough only rainwater, moreover, it is considered a drought-resistant plant. However, make sure that the soil does not dry out anyway.

For young seedlings in the first 3 weeks after planting, pour half a bucket 1 time in 7-8 days. In hot summer, water it 2-3 times a week. A bucket of water will be enough for each bush, but not ice. Finish the procedure by loosening (5-10 cm deep) and mulching.

It is very important to maintain soil moisture

The appearance of Potentilla needs regular maintenance.Remove weeds and trim bushes. Pruning is best done in the spring or fall. Once every 3 years, trim the branches by about 1/3, or a little more if landscape design requires it.

Fertilization and feeding

In addition to the mineral fertilizer applied during planting, Potentilla needs the following dressings:

Potassium sulfate and phosphate fertilizer:

• 25-30 g of both per bucket of water;
• 1 bucket is enough for 1 bush;
• application time - spring.

For abundant flowering, the culture needs regular feeding.

Phosphorus and potash feeding:

• use any, in accordance with the instructions;
• application time - before flowering.

Reproduction of Potentilla

When growing Potentilla, 4 breeding methods are used:

• layering;
• cuttings;
• dividing the bush;
• seeds.

When propagating by layering, the incised shoot is bent to the ground. The place of the incision is fixed with a hairpin and sprinkled with soil. When the cuttings acquire their roots, they are planted in a new place. This is the easiest method.

Rooted cuttings of Potentilla

Cuttings are cut in the summer from those branches that appeared last year, removing the lower leaves. They are planted in moist soil in the shade of the garden, covered with a jar or bottle. Water during the day. The buds are removed so that they do not weaken the plant.

If the cinquefoil is already 4 years old, it can be divided and planted. The selected shoot with growth buds is separated from the main bush and rooted in the open field. They do this both in the spring and in the fall. The main condition is warm weather.

Seeds for subsequent reproduction are harvested either at the end of summer or in September-October. They can be dried and stored for several years or planted immediately. Spread them over the surface of the soil and press down lightly. Self-seeding is also used, which is characteristic of Potentilla. Young shoots from seeds are planted in temporary ridges, and after a couple of years - in a permanent place.

Diseases and pests

And here there is a reason to rejoice for gardeners who grow Potentilla. Planting and caring for her is also simple in that pest control is not needed. They practically do not touch this perennial plant. Almost the only attack is rust.

Cinquefoil is quite resistant to both disease and pest attacks.

Yellow-brown spots with a purple tint appear on the leaves. If the bush is severely affected, the foliage on it curls and dries up, spraying with a solution of manganese and boron or sulfur will be needed. Rust develops well on pine branches, avoid the neighborhood with this ephedra.

Shrub cinquefoil: combination with other plants

Good five-leaf partners:

• geyher;
• junipers;
• barberry;
• cotoneaster;
• host.

Cinquefoil in a flowerbed

The combination of yellow Potentilla looks bright with:

• catnip;
• lavender;
• hyssop.

Plants with white, blue and blue flowers are a good addition to the five-leafed plant.

Shrub cinquefoil in landscape design

This plant keeps its shape well. Curbs and hedges are beautiful. A single Potentilla bush on the lawn looks harmonious. Often in landscape design, this perennial is used for:

Cinquefoil in landscape design

• flower beds-mixborders;
• rosaries;
• rock gardens.

Shrub cinquefoil can grow in open ground for up to 20-30 years. Set aside a place for it and it will decorate your garden all year round.

Cinquefoil: video

Types of Potentilla shrub: photo

Cinquefoil (Latin Potentilla) is one of the largest genus of the Pink family in terms of the number of species, the most characteristic representatives of which are Potentilla goose and Potentilla erect, or galangal herb. Among the cinquefoil, of which there are about half a thousand species in the world, there are many herbaceous species of perennial, biennial and annual plants and shrubs. In the garden culture, both the cinquefoil grass and the cinquefoil shrub are grown.

The stems of representatives of this genus are most often erect, widened or ascending, sometimes creeping.Leaves are multiple or pinnate, green or gray-green in color. Shrub species of Potentilla reach a height of one and a half meters, expanding in width by about one meter. Flowers in most species are collected in pseudo-umbellate or corymbose-paniculate inflorescences, but there are species with single flowers. The color of the flowers is varied - red, golden yellow, orange, pink, cream, white. Potentilla bloom lasts a long time - from May to September. The fruit consists of a large number of seeds - from 10 to 80, usually glabrous, but sometimes hairy, and the more exotic the type of plant, the larger the fruit.

All cinquefoil is undemanding to growing conditions, with the exception of a few finicky species, which include, for example, white cinquefoil, which prefers to grow in the shade, or shiny cinquefoil, which thrives best in southern exposure on dry sandy soils. All other species like light areas shaded by other plants in the afternoon, and loose, slightly acidic, nutritious and well-drained soil containing little lime. The exception is arctic cinquefoil, which needs acidic soil.

Professionals say that it is possible to sow the seeds of herbaceous species of Potentilla simply in the ground in the fall, so that they undergo natural stratification during the winter, after which the seedlings sprout together in the spring, and all that remains is to plant them. You can sow seeds in the ground and in the spring. But it is better not to risk the seed and grow seedlings by sowing seeds in February or March and germinating them under polyethylene at a temperature of 15-18 ºC. As soon as real leaves appear at the seedlings, they need to be dived into separate cups or peat pots. Seedlings grow slowly, but, nevertheless, at the end of summer they are planted in open ground in a permanent place. Young plants need to be covered for the winter. Potentilla bloom from seeds in the second year. Cinquefoil often reproduces by self-seeding.

Planting shrub Potentilla. In early spring, when the snow melts and the soil thaws, the seedlings of shrub varieties of Potentilla are planted in holes that should be twice as deep and wider than an earthen lump or the size of a container in which Potentilla roots are located. The distance between the two bushes should be at least 30 cm.A layer of lime gravel is poured onto the bottom of the pit as drainage, then the pit is half filled with a mixture of humus, leaf earth and sand in a ratio of 2: 2: 1, to which 150 g of complex mineral fertilizer is added ...

The seedling is lowered into the pit in such a way that its root collar is slightly above the level of the surface of the site, then the hole is filled to the top with garden soil, tamped and watered. For three weeks after planting, make sure that the cinquefoil does not experience a lack of water. Cover the area with straw, bark or sawdust to prevent the soil from drying out too quickly. If necessary, the planting of Potentilla is carried out in late summer or early autumn.

Cultivation of shrub Potentilla, like herbaceous Potentilla, does not require much effort. Plant care consists in weeding, loosening the soil, watering, feeding, removing wilted flowers and mulching the soil on the site. You will have to water the cinquefoil only during the absence of rain, once every two weeks, with a bucket of warm water under each bush, and if you mulch the area with peat or sawdust in the spring, then you also rarely have to weed and loosen the soil. In the summer, you will need to add mulch to the site two to three times. You need to feed Potentilla with mineral fertilizers for flowering plants three times a season - in May, July and in August or September. This is a mandatory program for the care of Potentilla, but if on sultry summer evenings at the end of a sultry day you spray Potentilla with water, it will thank you for it with abundant flowering.

In addition to the seed method of reproduction of Potentilla, vegetative methods are used - dividing the bush, cuttings and layering. Cutting and propagation by layering is carried out in July-August, and the division of the bush is carried out in spring, in April-May, or in autumn, at the beginning of September. To divide the cinquefoil rhizome, a bush that has reached the age of four is dug up, the rhizome is washed and cut into pieces with a sharp sterile knife, each of which should have 2-3 buds. The roots of the cut are treated with a rooting stimulator and planted in the ground, trying not to deepen the buds. When planting, observe the distance between the divisions of 20-40 cm.

Cuttings 8-10 cm long are cut from the ends of the shoots, removing the flowers. Shoots are rooted in moist perlite for a month or a month and a half in a frost-free room. You can plant them for rooting simply in the ground somewhere in a shady corner of the garden, covered with a jar or cut plastic bottle, spraying them several times a day. If buds appear, they must be cut off so that flowering does not weaken the rooting cutting. For the winter, cuttings are covered with spruce branches.

The easiest way to reproduce is layering. How to propagate Potentilla by layering? Choose a low-growing shoot in the spring, cut it on the outside, lay the shoot in the dug groove with the notch down, attach it to the ground exactly in this place and sprinkle it with earth. Until autumn, a root system is formed at the cutter and it can be separated from the mother plant and transplanted to a permanent place.

Pruning Potentilla
Growing and caring for shrub cinquefoil, in addition to the listed procedures, also requires pruning of the plant, which is carried out in early spring, before the buds open, and in autumn. If the cinquefoil is not cut, the plant becomes a shaggy, unkempt bush. Pruning Potentilla pursues sanitary purposes, for the sake of which broken, dry and growing branches are removed from the bush, and also serves to form a bush - most often the plant is given the shape of a ball or pillow. In the spring, the growth of the last year is cut by a third, and in the fall, too elongated and old shoots are removed. Mature plants are rejuvenated every five years or when a large number of dry twigs appear. To do this, for three years in a row, a third of the dry branches are cut off on the bush. The result is a complete update of the hive.

The annual Potentilla, when it loses its decorative effect, is removed, the site is dug up with fertilizers. After the end of flowering, the shoots of shrub Potentilla are cut by a third; as a preventive measure against diseases, the bushes are sprayed with Bordeaux liquid.

Cinquefoil is perennial, herbaceous or shrub, does not need shelter for the winter, since it has a high degree of cold resistance. Only rooted cuttings and young seedlings planted in autumn should be covered.

As you can see, planting and caring for cinquefoil is not at all burdensome, and you are unlikely to have to fight diseases or harmful insects, since pests and diseases rarely bother cinquefoil. Sometimes it is affected by rust, mottling or powdery mildew. If the infection occurred with an annual species of Potentilla, then there is no particular trouble in this - the plant will not lose its decorative effect, and in the fall it must still be disposed of. Perennial varieties and types of Potentilla need to be treated with a fungicide - Bordeaux liquid or colloidal sulfur, for example. Of the pests on the cinquefoil, scoops are sometimes found, which are destroyed by treating the plant with insecticides such as "Fufanon", "Decis Profi", "Fitoverm".

There are so many varieties and types of Potentilla that even listing them will take a full chapter, so we will introduce you only the most popular types. So, among the herbaceous species, the most famous are:

Apennine cinquefoil (Potentilla apennina)

perennial with trifoliate silvery pubescent leaves, collected in a rosette, with pink or white flowers.

White cinquefoil (Potentilla alba)

It is a perennial from eight to twenty-five centimeters high with complex palmate-lobed basal leaves with brown stipules. Her flowers are white, up to three centimeters in diameter, collected in several pieces in loose umbellate or racemose inflorescences. Peduncles reach a height of 25 cm, the plant has no stem leaves.

Goose cinquefoil (Potentilla anserina)

Or Houndstooth. The basal rosette of this species is formed by pinnately complex leaves up to 20 cm long, pubescent on the underside. Peduncles are leafless, with single yellow flowers up to 2 cm in diameter.

Nepalese cinquefoil (Potentilla nepalensis)

Perennial plant up to 50 cm high with branched straight purple stems. The leaves are palmate, dark green, large - up to 30 cm long. Flowers, also large - up to 3 cm in diameter, red or light pink with dark pink veins - gathered in panicles, bloom from the beginning of July for almost two months. The most attractive varieties:

• Cinquefoil "Roxana" - with salmon-orange flowers in dark veins.
• Cinquefoil "Miss Wilmott" - pink cherry flowers with a dark eye. The variety blooms profusely and for a long time.
• Cinquefoil "Floris" - flowers with a pale salmon shade with a red-orange eye.

Erect cinquefoil or galangal (Potentilla erecta)

It grows in the tundra and forest zone on the edges, lawns along the banks of rivers and swamps. It is a perennial plant with an unevenly thickened woody rhizome. Erect stem no higher than 20 cm, branched in the upper part and leafy, trifoliate leaves - sessile stem, basal, dying at the beginning of flowering - on long petioles. Flowers, single, regular, up to 1 cm in diameter, on thin long pedicels, bloom in June-August.

Silver cinquefoil (Potentilla argentea)

Perennial with a large tuberous rhizome, slender arcuate rising stems up to 30 cm high, long-scaly basal and lower-stem leaves and three-to-five-part middle and upper stem leaves, densely covered with white pile on the underside. Loose corymbose-paniculate inflorescence consists of small flowers up to 12 mm in diameter. Plants of this species bloom in June-July.

Hybrid cinquefoil (Potentilla x hybrida)

this species combines varieties and garden forms of hybrid origin. In most plants, the rhizome is oblique or vertical, the stems are pubescent, strongly branching, erect, up to 90 cm high with leaves collected in a basal rosette - the lower leaves are trifoliate or fingerlike on long petioles with sharp teeth along the edges, the stem leaves are trifoliate, sessile.

Velvety flowers of this variety up to 4 cm in diameter, red, yellow, dark purple or pink, make up a loose racemose or corymbose inflorescence. Famous varieties:

• Cinquefoil "Master Floris" - plentiful and long-blooming cinquefoil with simple large yellowish flowers.

• Cinquefoil "Yellow Queen" - Potentilla up to 30 cm tall with yellow shiny flowers.
• Cinquefoil "Volcano" - Terry cinquefoil of bright red color.

In addition to the species described, two-flowered Potentilla, golden, long-leaved, shaggy, Kranza, deceptive, tansy-leaved, dark blood-red, silver-leaved, Tonga, three-toothed, shiny, stemless, snow-white, arctic and others have become widespread from herbaceous cinquefoil.

Yellow cinquefoil or Kuril tea

Of the shrub species, the Kuril cinquefoil is grown in culture, she is yellow cinquefoil, she is Kuril tea, she is a five-leafed (Pentaphylloides fruticosa). In the specialized literature, this species belonged to the Potentilla, however, recently it has been allocated into a separate genus - Kuril tea, Dasiphora (Dasys - thick-haired, phoros - carrying). This genus includes ten species, on the basis of which many cultivated garden forms and varieties have been developed, which are honey plants and are often used by designers to create a picturesque hedge.

Pentaphylloides davurica (Pentaphylloides davurica)

shrub, reaching a height of 60 cm with spaced bare shoots, five-part, almost leathery leaves, shiny on the upper side, and glaucous on the bottom.White flowers up to 2.5 cm in diameter, most often solitary, but sometimes they are few-flowered umbellate inflorescences, they bloom for more than three months.

Shrub five-leaf
(Pentaphylloides fruticosa)

In nature, it has a vast area, covering the forest and forest-steppe of Western Europe and Russia, the Caucasus and Central Asia. It is an unusually hardy, highly branching plant up to one and a half meters high with gray or brown peeling bark and a dense hemispherical crown. Lanceolate whole-edged leaves up to three centimeters long and one three to five to seven-part wide, at a young age they are soft green, then they become silvery-green due to pubescence. Single or collected in loose apical shields or racemes, golden-yellow flowers up to 2 cm in diameter bloom from mid-June to early October.

Of the undersized varieties, the most popular are: Dakota Sunrise, Abbotswood, Goldstar, Jolina, Goldfinger, Reisenberg with flowers in orange-yellow tones and Farrers White and Rhodockalix with white flowers.

Tall, winter-hardy shrubs over a meter in height are represented by the Elizabeth and Catherine Dykes varieties with yellow flowers.

Winter-hardy varieties with silver-gray leaves: Darts Golddigger, Goldterppich, Bisi.

Compact, low varieties requiring shelter for the winter: Klondike, Kobold with yellow flowers, Parvifolia, Red Ice, Red Robbin with copper-yellow flowers, Sunset with yellow-orange to red-brick flowers, Eastleigh Cream with creamy white flowers and Daydown, Royal Flash, Pritty Polly and Blink with pink flowers.

In addition to the described species of shrubby cinquefoil, of undoubted interest are the Manchurian, small-leaved, Friedrichsen and Dryadiflora pentaphones, the possibilities of which have not yet been sufficiently studied by breeders.

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Cinquefoil is an unpretentious herbaceous crop that comes from the Pink family. More than 500 species can be found in nature. In the garden plots, both low and tall shrubs and creeping species grow, which are used by many summer residents and flower growers to add sophistication to flower beds, borders, as well as alpine hills.

The most popular among flower growers are perennial varieties of flowers that do not require special care from them, and also have a long flowering. What are the features of caring for cinquefoil in the open field?

The color of plant varieties is so different that any florist is able to get confused when choosing a suitable color for a summer cottage. The flowering process in Potentilla begins in early May and lasts until September. It blooms with yellow, snow-white, red, cream, pink and orange buds. Potentilla is most common in the Urals, Western Siberia and the Caucasus, where the shrub Potentilla is commonly called Kuril tea or five-leafed leaf.

For the first time, Potentilla was found on the territory of the Kuril Islands, after which it spread throughout Russia and other countries. Since ancient times, flowers have contained a large amount of vitamin C, essential oils, and tannin.

Gardeners most often used this culture in the form of medicinal tea, which is able to cure colds and quickly improve a sick person. Today it is a beautiful decorative culture, which is valuable for landscape designers because of its simplicity in cultivation, ease of care and a long flowering period throughout the summer.

Characteristics and description of shrub Potentilla

Cinquefoil is a crop that includes a large number of annuals, biennials, as well as perennials, among which you can easily find shrubs and herbaceous species.

Shrub cinquefoil. Perennial culture, presented in the form of a shrub, with a dense and spherical shape. The plant can grow up to 1.5 meters. This plant is considered the most common of the other varieties of Potentilla.

The people call such a variety Kuril tea or five-leafed tea. Compact and branched shrubs in natural growing conditions can often be found on rocky slopes, talus, and also in cracks between rocks, where the plant almost always creates pubescent thickets.

The leaves of the shrub type of Potentilla are slightly lowered, and also cut into five lobes at once, the buds are quite large in size, combined into a complex of inflorescences. There are a thousand stamens in the middle of the flower, making the middle of the bud look very fluffy.

The flowering process of the plant begins from the onset of June, and continues until October. You can also find such varieties of Potentilla, which are different in their color, but in most cases the flowering of the bush is more like the flowering process of apples or rose hips. After the flowering of the culture, seeds are formed - a box in the form of a brown button, which makes the culture even more decorative and attractive.

Among the most common plant varieties, the following can be distinguished:

1. Abbotswood Is a shrub that grows up to one meter in height, and also has a pillow-like and dense crown. Leaves are light green, white flowers form small clusters. The shrub can look good in special rock gardens, as well as in group plantings together with other cultures, and is actively used in decorating borders.
2. Guildford Cream Is a tall shrub that can grow up to 1.5 meters in height. The crown of Potentilla is dense and has the shape of a pillow, the leaves are dark green in color. Potentilla flowers are rather large, large and most often have a creamy and snow-white shade.
3. Red Ace - this is a plant in the form of a shrub with a height of up to 70 centimeters, the crown of Potentilla can be up to 1.3 meters wide. The main feature of the culture is the creeping shoots. The leaves of the culture are dark green, mainly the plant blooms in orange-red shades.
4. Pink - Queen - flowering cinquefoil, which grows to a height of 80 centimeters. During flowering, pale pink flowers are formed, the flowering period of the plant lasts from June to September.
5. Hoppy Orange - this is a short shrub, it reaches only 50 centimeters, it also has a rather wide crown. It is considered the most hardy and winter-hardy variety.
6. Apennine cinquefoil... A perennial culture that was found in Europe, where it most often grew at an altitude of 1500 meters. The height of the culture reaches from 5 to 15 centimeters, the leaves of the trifoliate type, pubescent have a silvery shade. The flowering process of the culture occurs at the end of the summer season, pink or white inflorescences are formed on the plant, which reach 15 mm in diameter. It is used as a decor for rock gardens, cracks in stones, in the works of landscape designers.
7. White bloodroot... Perennial shrub, the place of growth of which is considered to be the central part of Europe and Russia. The height of the culture varies from 8 to 25 centimeters.The stems and leaves of the culture are covered with silky and adpressed hairs. The plant has complex basal leaves and dark brown stipules. The plant blooms in small white inflorescences on a long peduncle. Flowers can have a diameter of 3 centimeters, the culture actively blooms from May to August. Unpretentious cinquefoil, with all this, is unable to endure direct sunlight, as well as excessive moisture in the soil.
8. Goose cinquefoil. A ground cover plant that is unpretentious to growing conditions, therefore, is widespread throughout Russia. The leaves of the culture are pinnate, large-toothed, flowering occurs in small single inflorescences. Inflorescences have a diameter of up to two centimeters. Peduncles are leafless. The plant is considered unpretentious, grows under any conditions, near roads, highways - in places where other crops simply cannot survive.
9. Nepalese cinquefoil... Perennial and herbaceous shrub, the height of which can reach 1.5 meters. The homeland of the plant can be considered the territory of Nepal, as well as the Western Himalayas. The stems of the plant are straight, highly branched, and have a purple hue. This variety has rather large leaves, finger-like, reaching up to 30 centimeters in length, and also having a dark green color. The flowers of the plant attract the attention of others due to their brightness, large size, pink color and dark veins, which are collected in unusual panicles. The bloom begins in July and lasts 55 days.
10. Erect cinquefoil (in another way galangal). This is a perennial shrub that has a thickened woody rhizome, in the wild it can grow freely in forests, tundra, swamps, rivers, and lakes. The stem of the culture is erect, with a height of up to 20 centimeters, the upper area of ​​the shrub has no foliage. Flowers, as a rule, are solitary, regular in shape, up to one centimeter in diameter, grow on long and narrowed pedicels. The flowering time for the flower lasts from June to August.

In addition, among the Nepalese Potentilla you can find beautiful hybrid varieties:

1. Miss Wilmott - these are lush inflorescences of a cherry-pink and red hue, which have a dark eye.
2. Roxanne - these are salmon-orange inflorescences, have dark streaks.

Planting process of Potentilla

The cinquefoil flower is a plant that is unpretentious to growing conditions, which is why growing cinquefoil in gardens and summer cottages is a simple and pleasant process. The only exception can be white cinquefoil, which grows only in the shade and cannot withstand the strong moisture of the soil. All other varieties of Potentilla prefer light or shaded areas of the garden during the daytime. A large amount of light can adversely affect the appearance of the plant. Delicate petals can quickly begin to fade in direct sunlight and lose their attractiveness. Lack of light can stop the flowering process or slow down the growth of the crop.

The choice of soil mixture for planting Potentilla

The best soil mixture for a plant will be a loamy soil, although the plant is capable of growing completely on any soil, into which it is worth adding additional fertilizers and nutrients. Pink flowers of Potentilla are considered especially demanding on the components in the soil.

The process of planting Potentilla in the soil

Shrub cinquefoil is the most common variety of this crop, which is most often grown by gardeners in order to competently decorate the territory of the garden and summer cottage. Planting should take place in autumn or spring.

Planting stages:

1. When planting seedlings it should be borne in mind that in this culture Potentilla rhizomes have a superficial branching system, so the pits for planting should reach a depth of 0.5-0.6 meters. The distance between adjacent plantings should vary from 30 to 80 centimeters.
2. To the bottom of the pit it is imperative to place a drainage layer of pebbles, broken bricks, rubble, and on top - a layer of sheet earth, which will be mixed together with humus and river sand in a ratio of 2: 2: 1. It is worth adding about 100 grams of organic fertilizers or ash to the soil mixture.
3. The seedling should be neatly arranged in the landing pit. The main condition when performing this operation is a careful location in the pit for planting the root collar of the culture. It should be located above the soil level.
4. After the seedlings are well watered, mulch the soil of the shrub in a circle: sawdust, straw or dry soil. Within one month after planting the crop, it is imperative to maintain the desired percentage of soil moisture and prevent drought.

Potentilla care

The process of caring for Potentilla is quite simple and even simple flower growers can do. It is very easy to provide regular and moderate irrigation for perennial crops, additional fertilizing, pruning, and weeding around the shrub.

Watering the plant

Cinquefoil blooms luxuriantly and grows well in moist soil, although with all this it belongs to stable and unpretentious flowers. During the rainy season, the crop may not need additional watering. In hot and dry summers, the plant should be watered two to three times a week, avoiding dryness in the soil. It is strictly forbidden to use ice water for watering the plant, so as not to harm the root system of the flower, it is best to water the flower with warm and settled water.

After the watering process, it is worth shallowly loosen the soil around the flower. In the evening, flowers can be sprayed. Potentilla seedlings are especially in need of abundant watering, they should be watered quite often, using up to 10 liters of warm water under one bush during watering.

> Plant feeding

A flowering shrub needs additional fertilization in the soil. When planting seedlings, any mineral fertilizing or ash should be used, and for the next spring, the crop can be fed using the following fertilizers:

1. In the process of active growth plants in the spring should be fertilized in the soil in the amount of 30-40 grams of potassium sulfate and phosphate, diluting them in 10 liters of water, while counting on one crop.
2. In the budding process the soil mixture should be fed with phosphorus-potassium complex dressings, using the instructions for use.
3. Also to maintain of an attractive type of plant, it should be regularly pruned, even the crown of the shrub.

The genus Potentilla is characterized by a wide variety of species (from low-growing grasses to stately shrubs), but planting and care in the open field are similar for these plants, because they are all unpretentious in cultivation. We will tell you what to look for.

Only white cinquefoil is especially finicky (it grows well only in the shade), shiny cinquefoil (it thrives on dry sandy soil on the southern side of the site) and arctic cinquefoil (needs acidic soil). Other types of Potentilla prefer well-lit places where there is shade in the afternoon (for example, from other plants). The soil should ideally be loose, slightly acidic, nutritious, well-drained and with a little lime.

Planting Potentilla

Growing shrub Potentilla is not difficult even for a beginner. They start planting a seedling in the spring, when the snow melts and the soil thaws.But if you are late with this matter, planting or transplanting Potentilla can also be carried out in late summer - early autumn.

The planting hole should be about 2 times deeper and wider than the earthen ball of the seedling. Drainage must be laid on the bottom (preferably lime gravel), after which the hole is approximately half filled with a mixture of humus, leafy earth and sand (in a ratio of 2: 2: 1), 150 g of complex mineral fertilizer for ornamental plants is also added there. The seedling is lowered into the hole and covered with the same soil mixture so that its root collar is located just above the ground level. Then the soil is tamped and watered abundantly.

For group plantings, the distance between seedlings should be at least 30 cm

So that the soil does not dry out quickly, the planting site is mulched with straw, bark or sawdust. This is especially true in the first 3-4 weeks after planting, since with a lack of moisture, the seedling does not take root well and may die.

Growing Potentilla from seeds

Grassy cinquefoil is usually grown from seeds. Seeds are sown in autumn (before winter) in open ground, then they undergo natural stratification there, and in spring they germinate together. Seedlings only need to be planted so that they do not interfere with each other. And with minimal care, a delicate cinquefoil will flaunt on your site.

Potentilla seedlings grow rather slowly, so please be patient

Seeds can also be sown in spring (early March) for seedlings. They are germinated in fertile soil under polyethylene at a temperature of 15-20 ° C and watered regularly. With the appearance of 2-3 true leaves, the seedlings dive into separate pots (possibly in peat ones), and at the end of summer they are planted in open ground. In late autumn, young plants are covered with spunbond, otherwise in winter they risk freezing out.

In the first year, such Potentilla does not bloom. Therefore, to receive flowers, you will have to wait for the next season. And it is important to properly care for the plant.

Potentilla care

Cinquefoil is very popular in landscape design due to its unpretentious care. The plant needs regular weeding, loosening of the soil and timely watering during a drought. And if in the spring you mulch the plantings with peat or sawdust, then these manipulations can be done less often.

To achieve lush flowering, it is recommended to feed the Potentilla in May, July and at the end of August with a complex mineral fertilizer for flowering plants. Although on fertile soil, it grows well without additional fertilizing. However, flower growers still recommend adding phosphorus and potassium sulfate under each adult bush at least once a year (in spring) (25-30 g of each fertilizer per 10 liters of water). Consumption - 1 bucket per plant.

Erect cinquefoil, or galangal

In dry summers, the plant becomes "stuffy", so it often fades quickly. To prevent this from happening, every evening after sultry weather, Potentilla is sprayed with water from a spray bottle. Then flowering will be longer.

With good care, diseases and pests do not bother the cinquefoil. In exceptional cases, the plant can be attacked by rust, spotting and powdery mildew. Any fungicide (Bordeaux liquid, Fitosporin-M) can easily cope with these fungal diseases.

Of the pests on the cinquefoil, scoops can be found. An insecticide (Decis, Fitoverm) will help to cope with them. A few sprays with an interval of 2 weeks are enough.

Adult plants (both herbaceous and shrub Potentilla) do not need shelter for the winter. Only cuttings rooted this year and young seedlings are insulated.

Pruning Potentilla

When growing shrub Potentilla, one should not forget about timely pruning. Otherwise, the plant will quickly turn into a shapeless bush. In early spring and late autumn, all broken, dry and thickening branches are removed from the shrub, and also create the desired shape (most often - in the form of a ball or pillow).

Cinquefoil Elizabeth

In addition, in the spring, the growth of the last year is shortened by 1/3, after the end of flowering, the shoots are again cut by a third, and in the fall, over-stretched branches are completely cut out. Every 5 years, a rejuvenating "stump" pruning is carried out.

• Correct pruning of ornamental shrubs - everything you wanted to know

  9 techniques for pruning shrubs with a description of the process and diagrams.

How to propagate Potentilla

The most popular reproduction of Potentilla cuttings... They are cut in the summer from the ends of the shoots. It is best to do this before flowering, but if necessary, you can do it later, and you should remove the flowers. Cuttings (8-14 cm long) are rooted in wet perlite, sphagnum or sand for a month in a room with a temperature of 15-18 ° C and periodically watered and sprayed from a spray bottle.

Rooting of Potentilla cuttings in moss

• How to root cuttings of ornamental plants in sphagnum: step by step instructions

  Learn how to properly root cuttings in sphagnum rolls.

Also in the summer, you can root cuttings of Potentilla in the open field in a shady corner of the garden. At the same time, they are covered with a glass jar or a cut plastic bottle and sprayed with a spray bottle at least once a day. For the winter, cuttings are covered with spruce branches or spunbond.

Potentilla can also be propagated dividing the bush and layering. In the first case, a bush 3-4 years old is chosen and divided in the spring (April-May) or early autumn (early September). In this case, the plant is dug up, the rhizome is washed and cut with a sharp knife into pieces with 2-3 buds. The roots of the delenok are dipped into a root formation stimulator (for example, Kornevin), after which they are planted in the ground so that there is a distance of 20 to 40 cm between the plants.

Layers Potentilla is propagated in the first half of summer. The low-growing lateral shoot is bent to the ground (it can be slightly cut on the outside), placed in a pre-dug groove, pinned and sprinkled with moistened soil. By the fall, the cuttings will form their root system, then they can be separated from the mother plant and transplanted to a permanent place in the garden.

Cinquefoil is not only a beautiful but also a medicinal plant. So, using our advice, you can ennoble the garden and at the same time improve your health.

Cinquefoil (Potentilla) belongs to one of the largest genera in terms of the number of species, which is part of the pink family. Its bright representatives are considered to be erect cinquefoil (galangal-grass) and cinquefoil goose. Most of the species of this genus in natural conditions can be found in the Northern Hemisphere. Cinquefoil comes from the Latin word "potent" - "powerful, strong." Apparently, this refers to the incredible healing power of individual representatives of this kind. All over the world, there are about 500 species of Potentilla, which are represented mainly by herbaceous plants, but there are also shrubs among them. At the same time, both grass and shrubs belonging to this genus are cultivated in gardens. The cinquefoil shrub in Russia is called Kuril tea or five-leafed, while there is an old legend that tells about Ilya Muromets, the smell of cinquefoil gave him unprecedented strength. Russian healers also call cinquefoil a mighty man, and since ancient times it has been used to heal a variety of ailments, as well as to restore strength. Today, this plant is mostly used as a decorative plant, and experts plant it on a green lawn as a tapeworm, and they also decorate curbs, alpine slides and hedges with it.

Features of Potentilla

Representatives of this genus are shrubs and herbaceous plants, which can be annuals, biennials and perennials. Shoots of such plants are often erect, ascending or extended, and creeping are also found. The leaf plates are pinnate or multipart, and they are colored grayish-green or green.The height of the dwarf shrubs can reach 150 centimeters, while their diameter sometimes reaches 100 centimeters. In most species, flowers are part of corymbose-paniculate or pseudo-umbellate inflorescences, however, species with single flowers are also found. They can be painted in a wide variety of colors, such as golden yellow, pink, white, red, orange and cream. Long bloom is observed in May-September. The fruit contains many achenes (10–80 pieces), most often they are naked, but they can be hairy. Moreover, the larger the size of the fruits, the more exotic the type of such a plant.

Planting Potentilla

Almost all representatives of this genus are distinguished by their undemanding growing conditions, with the exception of Shiny Potentilla, which is recommended to be grown in the southern exposure, choosing dry sandy soil for it, as well as White Potentilla - it likes to grow in a shaded place. For the remaining species, well-lit areas are best suited for them, which should be shaded in the afternoon with other plants. The soil they need is slightly acidic, loose, saturated with nutrients, and also well-drained, which has a little lime in its composition. It should be remembered that the Arctic Potentilla needs acidic soil.

How to grow herbaceous cinquefoil from seeds

Cinquefoil can be propagated by various methods, for example, grown from seeds. Experts advise sowing directly into open soil in autumn. In winter, such seeds undergo natural stratification, due to which in spring they give amicable shoots and they only need to be planted. Sowing can be done outdoors and in spring. However, a more reliable way is to grow through seedlings. To do this, sowing seeds should be done in February or March, while the container must be covered with a film before the first shoots appear and removed to a place with a temperature of 15 to 18 degrees. After the shoots have real leaf blades, they are picked on peat-baked or individual cups. The growth of the seedlings is relatively slow, but already at the end of the summer period, the seedlings can be transplanted to a permanent place in open soil. Young plants will need shelter to survive the winter. The flowering of cinquefoil grown from seeds is observed only in the second year. These plants reproduce well by self-sowing.

How to plant shrub cinquefoil

In early spring, after the snow cover melts and the soil warms up a little, you should start planting shrub seedlings. The width and depth of the pit should be a couple of times larger than a clod of earth or a container in which the seedling grows. If you are planting several bushes, then remember that the distance between them should be 0.3 m.A drainage layer should be made at the bottom of the hole; for this, lime gravel is poured into it. Then the ½ part hole should be filled with soil mixture, which includes leafy earth, humus and sand (2: 2: 1), and 150 grams of complex mineral fertilizer must be poured into it. When placing a seedling in a planting hole, it should be noted that its root collar should rise slightly above the soil surface. Then the pit should be filled with soil, which must be well compacted. The planting needs to be watered abundantly. For 20 days, it is necessary to ensure that Potentilla always has a sufficient amount of water. In order to reduce the rate of drying of the soil, it should be sprinkled with a layer of mulch (bark, straw or sawdust). If necessary, then you can plant Potentilla in the last summer or first autumn days.

Potentilla care

It is quite simple to grow Potentilla, and it does not matter whether it is a shrub or a herbaceous plant.For normal growth and development of the plant, it is necessary to regularly water, loosen the soil surface, remove weeds, feed, remove fading flowers, and also mulch the soil on the site. Watering should be done only with prolonged drought, while 10 liters of lukewarm water should be poured under each bush 1 time in half a month. In the event that in the spring time you sprinkle the area with mulch (sawdust or peat), then the removal of weeds and loosening of the soil will need to be carried out relatively rarely. During the summer period, add mulch to the site 2 or 3 times. Top dressing is carried out three times per season (in May, July and August or September), while using mineral fertilizer for flowering plants. For more lush flowering, it is also recommended to spray the cinquefoil with water in the evening after a hot day.

Reproduction of Potentilla

In addition to the fact that Potentilla is grown from seeds, it can be propagated by cuttings, layering and dividing the bush. Potentilla can be propagated by layering and cuttings in July or August, and it is recommended to divide the bush in spring (April or May) or autumn (early September) time. A specimen that is at least four years old is suitable for division, it must be dug up, the rhizome is washed with water from a hose, and then divided into divisions using a very sharp, pre-sterilized knife. It should be remembered that there should be 2 or 3 kidneys on each division. In the cases, it is necessary to process the roots with a means that stimulates their growth. Then they are planted in the soil, while the buds should not be buried. Remember to leave 20 to 40 centimeters of empty space between the divisions.

The length of the cuttings varies from 8 to 10 centimeters, while they are harvested from the ends of the stems, having previously cut off all the flowers. For rooting, moistened perlite is used, it lasts for 4-6 weeks, while keeping the cuttings in a room that does not freeze. Cuttings can also be rooted directly in open soil by choosing a place for this in partial shade, while it is recommended to use a glass jar or a cut bottle as a shelter. Spraying them must be carried out several times a day. The buds that appear should be removed, because they can greatly weaken the plant. For wintering, they need to be covered with spruce branches.

It is easiest to propagate cinquefoil by layering. In springtime, you should look for a stem that grows very close to the surface of the soil. An incision must be made on its outer side. Then it is placed in the prepared groove with an incision down, fixed in this position (necessarily in this place) and covered with soil. With the onset of autumn, the cutter should develop a good root system. In this case, it should be cut off from the mother bush and planted in a permanent place.

Pruning Potentilla

Shrub cinquefoil needs mandatory pruning, which must be done in early spring, before the buds open, and also in autumn. In the event that pruning is not done, then the bush becomes shaggy and looks sloppy. Pruning can be sanitary, during which it is necessary to cut off all injured, dried-up branches, as well as those that grow inward. Also, this procedure can be carried out in order to form a bush, and often it is given a pillow or spherical shape. In spring, last year's growths are shortened by 1/3, and in the fall, old and elongated stems should be cut off. Rejuvenating pruning will be needed for such a shrub once every 5 years, or it is carried out when many dried branches are found. To make such pruning, it is necessary to cut off a third of the dried branches for 3 years in a row. This will lead to a complete renewal of the bush.

Diseases and pests

This plant is highly resistant to various diseases and harmful insects, which greatly facilitates its care.In rare cases, cinquefoil can get sick with spotting, rust or powdery mildew. In the event that one of these diseases struck the annual cinquefoil, then you should not worry, because this will not greatly affect the appearance of the bush, and in the autumn it will still have to be disposed of. If you have a perennial growing, then it is recommended to use a fungicide for its treatment (for example, colloidal sulfur or Bordeaux liquid). Also, in rare cases, scoops can settle on the bush. In order to get rid of them, treat the affected specimen with an insecticide (for example, Decis Profi, Fufanon or Fitoverm).

Cinquefoil after flowering

Autumn care

In autumn, the annual cinquefoil should be removed from the site after its appearance becomes unattractive, while it is necessary to dig the site with fertilizer. In shrub Potentilla, when it finishes blooming, all shoots should be shortened by 1/3, and for the prevention of diseases, the bushes must be treated with Bordeaux liquid.

Wintering

A perennial cinquefoil does not need shelter for the winter, because it has a high frost resistance, and it does not matter whether it is a herbaceous plant or a shrub. Shelter is needed for young seedlings, planted in autumn, and rooted cuttings.

Types and varieties of Potentilla with photos and names

There are a lot of types of Potentilla, and there are several times more varieties. Therefore, only those varieties and species that are most popular will be presented below.

The herbaceous species that are most popular are:

Apennine cinquefoil (Potentilla apennina)

This perennial plant has a leaf rosette, consisting of trifoliate leaf plates with silvery pubescence. The color of the flowers is white or pink.

White cinquefoil (Potentilla alba)

In nature, it can be found in the central regions of the European part of Russia, in the Balkans and the Caucasus. The height of such a perennial plant varies from 8 to 25 centimeters, complex basal leaf plates are palmate-lobed, while they have brown stipules. Loose racemose or umbellate inflorescences consist of several white flowers with a three-centimeter diameter. The height of the peduncles is about 25 centimeters, the stem leaves are absent.

Cinquefoil goose, or goose foot (Potentilla anserina)

The pinnate leaf plates are collected in a basal rosette and reach 20 centimeters in length, there is pubescence on their seamy surface. On leafless peduncles, single yellow flowers flaunt, which can reach 20 mm in diameter.

Nepalese cinquefoil (Potentilla nepalensis)

This perennial can reach half a meter in height, its straight branched shoots are purple in color. The length of the dark green palmate leaf plates is about 0.3 m. The diameter of the flowers is about 30 mm, their color can be pale pink or red, and the veins are dark pink. Flowers are part of paniculate inflorescences. Flowering begins in July and lasts about 8 weeks. The most decorative varieties:

1. Roxanne... On the surface of the salmon-orange flowers, there are streaks of dark color.
2. Miss Wilmott... It blooms luxuriantly and for a relatively long time. Cherry pink flowers have a dark eye.
3. Floris... On light salmon flowers, an orange-red eye flaunts.

Erect cinquefoil, or straight, or galangal (Potentilla erecta)

In nature, this species can be found in the forest and tundra zone, while these flowers grow on lawns and forest edges, along the banks of swamps and rivers. Such a perennial has a woody rhizome, which is unevenly thickened. The height of the erect stem reaches 20 centimeters, leaves are located on its upper branchy part. Trifoliate leaf plates can be sessile stem and root long-petiolate (wither before flowering).Regular single flowers can reach 10 mm in diameter, they are located on thin long pedicels. Bloom is observed from June to August.

Silver cinquefoil (Potentilla argentea)

This perennial has a large tuberous rhizome. The height of a slender arcuate rising shoot can reach up to 0.3 m. The lower-stem and basal leaf plates are five to seven-part long-scaled, and the upper-stem and middle ones are three to five-part, on the seamy surface there is a dense coating consisting of white pile. The loose paniculate-corymbose inflorescence includes small flowers, the diameter of which is 1.2 centimeters. Bloom is observed in June and July.

Hybrid cinquefoil (Potentilla x hybrida)

This species includes garden forms and varieties of hybrid origin. Most of the plants have a vertical or oblique rhizome. The height of erect, strongly branching stems reaches 0.9 m, there is pubescence on their surface. The basal rosette consists of palmate or triple long-petiolate leaf plates with sharp teeth along the edge. The trifoliate stems are sessile. The loose corymbose or racemose inflorescence includes velvety flowers reaching 40 mm in diameter, their color can be yellow, pink, red or dark purple.

Popular varieties:

1. Master Floris... Lush and long flowering. Large, simple flowers are pale yellow in color.
2. Yellow Queen... The bush reaches a height of 0.3 m, and yellow glossy flowers flaunt on it.
3. Volcano... Terry flowers, deep red color.

Potentilla is also very popular: two-flowered, golden, long-leaved, shaggy, Kranza, deceptive, tansy, dark blood-red, silver-leaved, Tonga, three-toothed, shiny, stemless, snow-white, arctic, etc.

Of the shrubs, gardeners cultivate the Kuril cinquefoil (Pentaphylloides fruticosa), which is also called Kuril tea, yellow cinquefoil and five-leafed cinquefoil. Experts previously attributed this species to Potentilla, but not so long ago they isolated it in a separate genus, called Kuril tea, Dasiphora (Dasys - thick-haired, phoros - carrying). This genus consists of 10 species, a large number of varieties and garden forms, which are honey plants, have already been created from them. Designers often create a very effective hedge from such shrubs.

Pentaphylloides davurica (Pentaphylloides davurica)

The height of such a shrub can reach up to 0.6 m. Its bare stems are spaced apart. Almost leathery five-part leaf plates have a bluish seamy surface and a glossy front surface. The diameter of the white flowers is about 25 mm, they are often solitary, but in some cases they can be part of a few-flowered umbrella-shaped inflorescences. Long-term flowering, more than 3 months. Cultivated since 1822.

Pentaphylloides fruticosa (Pentaphylloides fruticosa)

In nature, it can be found in forest-steppes and forests, Russia, Central Asia, Western Europe and the Caucasus. Such a shrub is distinguished by its high endurance. The height of a highly branching bush can reach up to 150 centimeters, the peeling bark is colored brown or gray. The lush crown has a hemispherical shape. All-edge lanceolate leaf plates have a length of 30 mm and a width of 10 mm, they can be three-five-seven-part. Young leaves have a light green color, but over time it changes to green-silver, as pubescence appears. Yellow-golden flowers have a diameter of 20 mm, while they can be single or collected in loose apical racemose or corymbose inflorescences. Flowering lasts from the second half of June to the first days of October. Cultivated since 1700.In America and European countries, as a rule, cultivars of this type are grown, because they are the most resistant to such climatic conditions.

Popular undersized varieties: Abbotswood, Jolina, Dakota Sunrise, Goldstar, Goldfinger, Reisenberg (flowers vary in orange-yellow colors), Farrez White and Rhodockelix (white flowers).

Winter-hardy tall varieties include the Elizabeth and Catherine Dykes varieties with yellow flowers. The height of the bushes reaches over 100 centimeters.

Winter-hardy varieties with grayish-silver leaf plates include Goldterppich, Darts Golddigger, Bisi.

Low-growing compact varieties that are not frost-resistant and need shelter for the winter: Klondike, Kobold (yellow flowers), Red Ice, Parvifolia, Red Robbin (copper-yellow flowers), Sunset (brick-red to orange-yellow flowers ), Eastleigh Cream (cream-white flowers), Royal Flash, Daydown, Pritty Polly and Blink (pink flowers).

Also of particular interest are the following species: small-leaved five-leafed, dryadiflorous, Manchurian and Friedrichsen. They are still poorly understood by breeders.

Useful properties and contraindications

Useful properties of Potentilla

The medicinal properties were observed mainly in only 3 species of herbaceous Potentilla, namely: goose, white and galangal (erect). The properties of these species have minor differences. Therefore, it does not really matter from which plant this or that medicine is made, intended for external use. As a result of numerous studies, it became clear that extracts made from rhizomes or herbs are not toxic and have almost equal healing power. If you take medicinal products from the white cinquefoil herb inside, then the central nervous system (central nervous system) is stimulated, while the extract from the rhizome makes the filtering ability of the kidneys 28 percent better. Kalgan is used, as a rule, for various disorders of the gastrointestinal tract (for example, colitis, dysentery), which are accompanied by diarrhea. Also, this plant is used in the treatment of liver diseases that are manifested by jaundice, for example, hepatitis. Today galangal is also used by official medicine for inflammation of the thyroid gland. In this case, tincture of Potentilla on alcohol is used, which is taken according to the scheme recommended by the doctor inside, while simultaneously being treated with medicines, such therapy is quite effective. It is not difficult to prepare a tincture, for this you need to take a dry rhizome and grind it, you should insist on vodka, then the resulting drink must be filtered. Kalgan is considered a unique plant, since it contains almost all the elements from the periodic table, namely: gallotanin, phenol carboxylic acids, starch, saponins, flavonoids (rutin, quercetin, cyanidin, kaempferol), iridoids, iodine, magnesium, copper, zinc , iron, cobalt, silicon, aluminum. At the same time, it is known that the rhizome contains a greater amount of these substances than in the aerial part of the flower.

The healing power of Potentilla erect is also known for a long time. The composition of this plant includes such substances as: tanning, and also essential oils, flavonoids, ellagic, malic and chitinic acids, wax, starch and gum, as well as vitamin C. Such a plant has an antibacterial, bonding and anti-inflammatory effect. An essential oil is obtained from this flower, which helps in the treatment of certain female diseases. Various decoctions and tinctures are prepared from it, which are used externally in the treatment of atopic dermatitis, for douching for gynecological diseases, for eczema, and they rinse the mouth and larynx with them in the presence of inflammation.Infusions and decoctions made from shoots, leaves, and flowers of a plant are used in the treatment of chronic and acute hepatitis, as well as in cirrhosis with congestion (significantly reduces the level of bilirubin in the blood and eliminates puffiness). If you use remedies made from such a plant in treatment, then remember that they can cause constipation, because there are many tannins in the cinquefoil.

The composition of the goose cinquefoil also includes essential oils, starch, flavonoids, tannins, as well as bitterness, choline, quinic and ascorbic acid, zinc and other substances that are useful for the human body. Any part of such a plant has healing properties. A decoction prepared from the rhizome is used for the external treatment of abrasions, bruises, wounds, hematomas, neurodermatitis and weeping eczema. Also, this broth is used for douching for a variety of gynecological inflammations, as well as for the treatment of hemorrhoids, while the result of such treatment is very good. It is also used in the treatment of duodenal and stomach ulcers, as well as in acute intestinal infections and hepatitis. A decoction in milk is prepared from the seeds, which is used for painful menstruation, gastroenteritis and spastic colitis. A decoction of the root and herb, cooked in water, effectively eliminates cramps in the calf muscles. Freshly prepared herbal infusion is used externally in the treatment of trophic ulcers and pustular lesions of the epidermis, and it is also used in the treatment of inflammation of the oral mucosa, with pharyngitis and sore throat. As a choleretic agent that can remove small stones and sand, fresh juice of this plant is used, combined with green rye juice in a 1: 1 ratio.

Of the shrubs, healing properties were noted in Kuril Potentilla, while using the tops of young stems. This plant has a diuretic, antiulcer, hemostatic, antiviral, analgesic, choleretic, binding, sedative, antidiabetic, anti-allergenic and immunostimulating effect. It is used in the treatment of female and gastrointestinal diseases, abscesses, boils and other wounds, and they also rinse their mouth for stomatitis, sore throat and other inflammatory diseases. It is used for constipation and diarrhea, dysbiosis, stomach ulcers, colitis, cervical erosion and uterine bleeding.

Contraindications

It is impossible to use preparations from Potentilla for those people who have increased blood clotting, hypotonic, and also prone to the formation of blood clots, because such drugs can lower blood pressure. If you want to remove stones and sand from the ducts with the help of this plant, then this should be done exclusively under the supervision of the attending doctor. It should also be remembered that such agents can irritate the stomach lining. And also they cannot be used during pregnancy and with individual intolerance to Potentilla.

The cinquefoil, also known as cinquefoil, five-leaf plant or Kuril tea, is a versatile ornamental crop for growing in almost any garden area. Its distinctive feature is the ability to decorate a flower bed not only in summer, but also in autumn and winter. Different varieties will add their own flavor to your garden design. And planting and caring for a plant in the open field is simple and affordable even for novice florists.

Description: varieties and varieties of Potentilla

The birch plant got its name because of the leaves, which are located on a branch in the form of a paw, 3-5 pieces each (depending on the variety). In nature, it grows as a highly branched shrub up to 1-1.5 m high:

1. Young growth has a dense fluff. Adult stems are covered with a brown crust.
2. The leaves of the plant also have silky pubescence, as well as beautiful carved edges.
3. Blossoming of the Potentilla takes place from the beginning of summer to the end of autumn. One bush blooms for 50-70 days.Shoots are covered with large flowers.
4. The petals are usually yellow, but some varieties can be orange, pink, white, or a combination of these colors.

Kuril tea has many varieties suitable for growing in the climate of Russia. Each species has varieties that differ in color of flowers and characteristics of care. You can choose the right one by the photo. Potentilla is in demand:

• Apennine;

Apennine Potentilla

• White;
• Goose;

Goose cinquefoil

• Silver;
• Nepalese;
• Erect.

Nepalese Potentilla

Planting plants outdoors

The cinquefoil responds well to planting and reproduction from April to September. But it is still better to carry out work in the spring. One of the few conditions for the successful cultivation of Kuril tea is the abundance of sun with midday penumbra. Seed planting is carried out directly into open ground:

1. Prepare the soil. If it is too dense and heavy, add a portion of sand. Feed with humus and mineral fertilizers. Dig and level the ground before planting.
2. Deepen the seeds by 3-5 cm. Sprinkle with the same soil and water.
3. Expect to germinate in about 3 weeks. Let the seedlings sit in the soil for another 7-10 days, and then plant them at intervals of 30-40 cm.

Attention! For the first time, Potentilla will bloom only by the third season after planting.

Potential plants are planted in open ground and ready-made 2-year-old seedlings:

Mulching of the soil will be useful for the cinquefoil.

1. Dig a hole for each about 60 cm deep and 30 cm wide.
2. Line the bottom with a drainage layer of pebbles, broken bricks or stones.
3. Fill the hole halfway with the substrate: 40% each leaf turf and humus and 20% river sand. Add 150 g of mineral fertilizer to it.
4. When planting a seedling in a hole, the root collar should remain above the soil level.
5. Top up the hole with regular garden soil.
6. Young seedlings need abundant watering.
7. Make a mulch with sawdust or shredded bark.

Crop care, fertilization and feeding

Without leaving, the Potentilla grows wild in the open field and grows quickly. True, it will not lose its decorative effect. But if you pay attention to the plant, it will bloom longer and more abundantly. What is important to consider for proper care:

1. Watering in drought. Norm - a bucket of water at room temperature under a bush 1 time in 2 weeks.
2. In the summer, weed the ridge to eliminate weeds.
3. Loosen the soil around the plant regularly and straighten the mulch.
4. You do not need to cover the plant for the winter. The exception is some varieties. For example, pink.
5. Cut off old shoots by 1/3 in the fall.

Advice. On a hot summer day, evening spraying of Potentilla has a beneficial effect on the cultivation of shrubs.

Cinquefoil will grow normally without fertilization. However, to give the flowering splendor, you can add mineral mixtures to the ground. Any fertilizer is suitable for flowering horticultural crops. Frequency - 3 times a season, in late spring, late summer and September. For spring feeding, fertilizers containing phosphorus and potassium sulfate in a proportion of 25-30 g per bucket are used. They bring in a bucket under each bush.

In autumn, the birch plant needs to be pruned.

Plant propagation. Diseases and pests

For reproduction of Potentilla, seeds, cuttings, layering and division of the bush are used. The last method is relevant for May or September. The bushes are best tolerated for 3-4 years:

• dig up and rinse the root;
• divide it into parts with a sharpened sterile knife, leaving 2-3 buds on each fragment;
• treat the rhizome with a stimulant;
• plant the divisions in the ground so that the buds remain above it;
• the minimum distance between the bushes is 20 cm.

Cutting and propagation by layering is carried out in July or August. To get cuttings, cut off the tops of the shoots, remove the flowers. The length of one stalk should be about 10 cm. Place the branch in moistened perlite for 1-1.5 months. The room temperature should not drop below + 3… + 5 ° C. You can cover the stalk with a greenhouse.

Sometimes the segments are planted directly into the open ground under a glass jar. The place should be shady. Plant care consists in spraying 2-3 times a day in summer and warming in winter. You will receive the finished seedling by April.

Attention! Pluck off any buds that form. They will take over food and moisture to the detriment of rooting.

Reproduction by layering is even easier. Choose a low-growing bush, make a groove next to it. Then find a suitable shoot, cut it along the outside and lay it in the groove. Secure the escape with a staple. In a couple of months, its own spine will appear at the point of contact. The plant can be separated from the mother and transplanted.

Cinquefoil in landscape design

Insects and infections rarely attack the five-leafed plant. On the greenery, you can find signs of powdery mildew, rust or spotting, as well as the pest scoop. You can find them out from the photo. In this case, the annual variety of Potentilla does not require any additional care. These diseases do not affect decorativeness, and perennials need to be treated. Treat them with Bordeaux liquid or an insecticide like Fitoferm.

This plant is versatile in its decorative functions. The cinquefoil can decorate an alpine slide, a flower garden or a flower bed. Sometimes it is planted just in the middle of the rubble cover. In garden compositions, the flower looks good in combination with lilies, bells or daisies. You can also make a hedge from it.

Cultivation of Potentilla: video