Potentilla plant (from the Latin Potentilla) - one-, two- and perennial herbaceous plant or subshrub, representative of the Rosaceae family. Both cinquefoil grass and cinquefoil shrub are grown in garden culture. There are more than five thousand plant species, most of which are common in the Northern Hemisphere.

The name comes from the word potent - translated from Latin language means powerful, strong. This is most likely due to the powerful medicinal properties of some plant species. We call the type of cinquefoil shrubby Kuril tea, five-leafed plant. According to legend, Ilya Muromets inhaled the aroma of the “mighty man” to gain strength. Since ancient times, decoctions and infusions of cinquefoil have been taken in Rus' for restoration of strength and treatment. various diseases. Today, the plant is widely used to decorate borders, alpine slides, hedges, and as a tapeworm on a green lawn.

The stems of the plant are erect, erect or expanded, and may be creeping. The leaves are pinnate or multipartite, the color is green, there may be a gray tint. Shrub species of cinquefoil reach a height of about 50 cm and a width of about 1 m. The inflorescences are in most cases corymbose-paniculate, there are species with single flowers. Corollas can be colored golden yellow, orange, red, pink, white, cream color. The flowering stage lasts from May to September. The naked, sometimes pubescent fruit consists of many achenes - from 10 to 80 pieces.

Growing cinquefoil from seeds

Sowing in the ground

Can be produced: the seeds will undergo natural stratification, and friendly shoots will appear in the spring. The bed is prepared in advance: it is carefully dug up, humus is added (a bucket per square meter), and the soil is allowed to settle. The ground should be carefully leveled with a rake, the seeds should be scattered over the surface as sparingly as possible and embedded into the ground with a rake.

In the spring, the emerging seedlings are thinned out, leaving 8-10 cm between seedlings. Grown plants are planted at a distance of 20-40 cm.

Growing for seedlings

In order not to risk the seed, the safest thing to do is. Do this in March. Fill the box with a peat-sand mixture, moisten the soil, and distribute the seeds over the surface. Crops must be covered with transparent plastic film. Maintain the air temperature within 15-18º C, when the seedlings have two true leaves, pick them up and plant them in separate cups. Seedlings grow slowly. IN open ground they are planted by the end of summer. For the winter, young plants will need shelter. Flowering will begin next year.

Vegetative propagation of cinquefoil

Cinquefoil can be propagated by dividing the bush (July-August), layering (in spring), cuttings (in spring from April to May and in autumn at the beginning of September).

Dividing the bush

You can divide the rhizome when you reach 4 years of age. Dig up the bush and divide it into parts with a sharp, disinfected knife. Each division should contain 2-3 growth buds. Treat the roots with a growth stimulator and plant the cuttings in the ground. The distance between plants should be 20-40 cm.

Reproduction by layering

Layering is the easiest way. Choose a low-growing shoot according to outside make a cut, bend it to the ground and place it with the cut down in the dug groove, cover with earth. By autumn the layer will have formed root system. Separate it from the main plant and replant it permanent place.

Propagation by cuttings

For cuttings, apical shoots are used. The length of the cutting should be 8-10 cm, remove the flowers. Can be rooted in a container with wet perlite or in open ground in a shady area of ​​the garden, covered with trimmed plastic bottle or glass jar. Spray several times a day. In order not to weaken the cuttings, the emerging buds must be removed. Plant rooted cuttings in a permanent place. Cover with spruce branches for the winter.

Planting cinquefoil in open ground

Produce early spring, as soon as the snow melts and the soil thaws.

• The planting hole should be 2 times wider and deeper than the size of the container with the seedling (they are purchased from nurseries).
• Place a layer of lime gravel at the bottom of the planting hole, fill it halfway with a mixture of leaf soil, humus, sand in a ratio of 2:2:1, add 150 g of mineral fertilizers to the mixture.
• The root collar of the seedling should be slightly above the level of the surface of the planting hole. Fill the remaining space with garden soil, compact it, and water it.
• Maintain constant soil moisture for a month after planting.
• To prevent the soil from drying out quickly, you can mulch the area around the bush with bark, sawdust, and straw.

Site selection and soil

Most types of cinquefoil grow well in bright areas with shade during the midday hours. The soil needs to be loose, nutritious, slightly acidic, with good drainage and a small amount of lime.

But there are nuances depending on the type of plant. White cinquefoil loves shade. Cinquefoil brilliant will feel best on south side and in sandy soil. Arctic cinquefoil requires acidic soil.

Cinquefoil care

Cinquefoil potentilla fruticosa care and cultivation from seeds Pictured is the variety Red Ace

Caring for a herbaceous plant, cinquefoil, just like caring for a shrub, does not require much effort.

Weeding from weeds, loosening the soil, infrequent watering, fertilizing, mulching the soil and removing faded flowers are necessary.

Watering

It is necessary to water only in the absence of precipitation. For shrubs one bucket is enough warm water once every two weeks for each bush.

Spray with water only occasionally: on a stuffy summer evening, at the end of a hot day.

If you mulch the soil with sawdust or peat in the spring, you will need to loosen and water even less often. Add mulch 2-3 more times in the summer.

Feeding

Feed with mineral fertilizers for flowering plants Just three times per season is enough (May, July, August or early September).

Trimming

Shrub cinquefoil requires pruning. Do this before the buds open in early spring and with the onset of autumn. To keep the bush tidy, in the spring it is necessary to remove last year's growth by about a third; in the fall, eliminate old or overly elongated shoots. Also remove dry, broken branches growing inward, and remove wilted buds.

Cinquefoil in autumn and winter

In the fall, the annual cinquefoil is removed and the area is dug up. Prune shrubby cinquefoils. To prevent diseases and pests, it is recommended to spray the bushes with Bordeaux mixture.

The plant is frost-resistant. Shelter will be required only for young plants planted in the fall and certain delicate varieties.

Pests and diseases of cinquefoil

Cinquefoil is rarely susceptible to disease or pests.

Possible damage to rust, spotting, powdery mildew. For annuals, this is not particularly scary - they will not lose their decorative properties, and in the fall they must be disposed of. Perennial plants must be treated with a fungicide.

Cutworms (faded butterflies, similar to moths) are pests of cinquefoil. When they appear, treat the plant with an insecticide.

Types and varieties of cinquefoil with photos and names

There are many types and varieties of cinquefoil, let's look at the most popular ones.

First type - Herbaceous cinquefoils

Potentilla apennina

Perennial, having trifoliate leaves with silvery pubescence. The color of the corollas is white and pink.

White cinquefoil Potentilla alba

A perennial plant 8-25 cm high. It has complex palmate-lobed basal leaves, no stem leaves. Flowers with a diameter of about 3 cm are white. They gather in loose umbrella or racemose inflorescences. The length of the peduncle is 25 cm.

Cinquefoil aka crow's foot Potentilla anserina

Pinnately compound leaves about 20 cm long are collected in basal rosettes. The underside of the leaf has pubescence. Peduncles end in single yellow flowers.

Nepalese cinquefoil Potentilla nepalensis

Nepalese cinquefoil Potentilla nepalensis variety Miss Willmott Miss Willmott photo

Perennial up to half a meter high, has straight branched stems. The leaves are large (up to 30 cm long), palmate, dark green in color. Flowers with a diameter of 3 cm are colored light pink, dark pink with veins or red. Paniculate inflorescences show off from July to autumn.

Popular varieties:

• Roxana - a shade of salmon-orange flowers with streaks of darker color;
• Miss Wilmott - has pink-cherry flowers with a darker center;
• Floris has a pale salmon-colored corolla with a red-orange eye.

Cinquefoil erect or straight, also known as galangal Potentilla erecta

The plant is about 20 cm high with an erect stem; it is leafy and branched in the upper part. The leaves are trifoliate, the basal leaves are sessile, the stem leaves are on long thin petioles. The flowers are solitary, about 1 cm in diameter, blooming in June-August.

Silver cinquefoil Potentilla argentea

A perennial plant with a tuberous root system. The arched stems reach a height of 30 cm. The basal leaves and up to the middle part of the stem are 5-7 divided, the upper leaves are 3-5 divided, the underside of the leaf is pubescent with white hair. Small flowers with a diameter of 12 mm are collected in the corymbose paniculate inflorescence. The color of the flowers is yellow.

Potentilla x hybrida hybrid cinquefoil

All are combined into a view garden forms and varieties of hybrid origin. Most plants reach a height of about 90 cm. The stems are erect, strongly branched, and pubescent. The lower leaves are attached on long petioles, the stem leaves are sessile. The shape of the leaves is trifoliate, palmately divided. The flowers are velvety, about 4 cm in diameter, collected in loose racemes. Their color is pink, red, dark purple, yellow.

Popular varieties are:

• Master Floris - blooms long and profusely, the flowers are large, simple, yellow.

• Yellow Queen is a plant up to 30 cm high, has yellow flowers with glossy petals;
• Volcano - has double flowers of bright red color.

Popular types of herbaceous cinquefoils include golden, hairy, two-flowered, longleaf, deceptive, silverleaf, tansy, Krantza, Tonga and many others.

The second type is shrubby cinquefoil

Daurian cinquefoil Pentaphylloides davurica

Reaches a height of about 60 cm. The leaves are 5-parted, the surface is smooth, bottom part covered with bluish hair. The flowers are about 2.5 cm in diameter, often arranged solitary, can be collected in umbrella inflorescences, the corolla color is white.

Pentaphylloides fruticosa

The bush grows up to 1.5, branches well, very hardy. The stems are covered with brown or grayish bark. The leaves are entire, elongated, at first painted in a soft green color, over time silvery pubescence appears. The corollas, about 2 cm in diameter, are golden yellow in color; they grow singly or are collected in racemose inflorescences.

Low growing varieties

Cinquefoil shrub white variety Potentilla fruticosa ‘Tilford Cream’ photo

The most popular low-growing varieties: Goldstar, Goldfinger, Jolaina, Dakota Sunrise, Abbottwood, Reinesenberg - the color of the flowers is yellow-orange, Rhodocalyx and Farrers White - have white flowers.

Tall varieties

Potentilla fruticosa variety potentilla fruticosa Elizabeth photo

Catherine Dykes, Elizabeth - varieties over 1 m high, have yellow flowers.

Frost-resistant varieties

Busy, Darts Golddigger, Goldterppich - frost-resistant species with gray-silver flowers.

Compact covering varieties

Compact varieties that require shelter for the winter:

Cobrld, Klondike - have yellow flowers;

Parvifolia, Red Robbin, Red Ice - color range from orange-yellow to brick-red;

Eastleigh Cream - creamy white flowers;

Pretty Polly, Daydown, Blink, Royal Flash – different shades pink.

Attracted by such shrub species Potentillas: five-leafed small-leaved, Manchurian, dryaniflorous, Friedrichsen.

Useful properties of cinquefoil and contraindications

The medicinal properties are mainly found in white, erect and galangal. Extracts from the herbs and roots of these species are almost identical in their medicinal properties, especially when used externally. The use of preparations from the ground part of white cinquefoil orally stimulates the central nervous system, extracts from the roots of the plant promote kidney function. White cinquefoil and galangal are used to treat various gastrointestinal diseases. Alcohol tinctures of white cinquefoil are used for inflammation of the thyroid gland. The tincture is prepared in this way: grind the dry root of the plant and infuse it with vodka, then filter. White cinquefoil (especially the roots) contains almost all the useful elements of the periodic table.

Cinquefoil galangal contains substances that have an astringent, bactericidal and anti-inflammatory effect.

Cinquefoil is rich in essential oils, tannins, starch, flavonoids, quinic and ascorbic acid.

The shrub species Kuril cinquefoil also has medicinal properties. Kuril tea is used as a diuretic, choleretic, hemostatic, antiviral, anti-allergenic agent, and is effective for diarrhea and constipation.

Preparations from cinquefoil galangal and anserina should absolutely not be taken by people prone to blood clots, as well as by hypotensive people. In any case, consult your doctor before use.

Nepalese cinquefoil is a very beautiful and perennial plant that is grown exclusively in home gardens. She decorates the flower beds with bright red-purple flowers. Such a plant can transform any garden, and gardeners love it not only for its beauty, but also for its unpretentiousness.

How to choose a landing site

Find it in any garden suitable place planting a cinquefoil bush is not at all difficult, as this plant is unpretentious and natural conditions It grows even in poor, unfertilized soil and in direct sunlight.

For better care It is advisable to plant it where slight partial shade predominates.

The plant must receive light and stay a little dark. If the shadow is dense, then the bush’s growth will slow down, although flowering will continue. The lighting period should be at least six hours daily.

Although the plant can grow on poor soil, it is advisable to add various nutritious fertilizers to it. Then the cinquefoil flowers will be much larger and brighter.

Cinquefoil likes moist, well-drained soil. There is no need to flood the soil abundantly, as water stagnation should not be allowed.

Planting in open ground

To grow seedlings, it is necessary to fill the planting container with soil consisting of garden soil, peat and sand. Everything is added in equal proportions. Seeds are laid out on moistened soil and sprinkled with a layer of sand or earth.

The container is covered with glass on top, to maintain moisture. After 15 days, the first young shoots will begin to appear. After another 50-60 days, the plant can be planted in prepared soil.

If seeds are sown directly into the ground, this should be done in mid-May. The soil is moistened, seeds are sown on its surface and sprinkled thin layer sand about three centimeters.

When seedlings appear, they need to be regularly watered and weeded. Planting at a permanent location takes place at the end of August or at the beginning of September.

Do not add unknown components to the soil - there is a correct formula that must be followed

To stimulate the plant to grow it is necessary at least three times in one season fertilize with special fertilizers.

Reproduction

Reproduces in several ways:

Reference: Propagating cinquefoil by dividing the bush is the longest way to grow a plant. If you divide and plant a perennial bush, the Nepalese will bloom only after two or three years.

How to grow from seeds

Seeds are usually planted in the spring, in March or April. Seeds can be planted for seedlings in planting containers, or directly into open ground.

The landing process is quite simple:

1. First you need to prepare the ground. Regardless of whether the planting container is a container or a temporary growing area, it is necessary add peat.
2. Then you need to moisten the soil a little.
3. Next, you need to put the seeds in the prepared soil and sprinkle them with soil on top so that the covering layer is about three centimeters.
4. After a month or a month and a half, it is necessary to transplant the seedlings to a permanent place in the garden or flowerbed.
5. The soil should be loose and fertilized with nutrients.

Diseases and pests

Gets sick very rarely and pests - insects and beetles - do not like it.

It is extremely rarely affected by rust - a fungal disease that manifests itself as orange round spots on the stems of the bush and its leaves. Rust damage leads to the fact that the green leaves of the bush begin to turn yellow, after which it grows poorly and blooms poorly.

If the disease is advanced, the leaves will curl, dry out and die. Most often, the fungus on the cinquefoil appears during frequent rains and low air temperatures.

Fungal disease is dangerous due to the gradual suppression of the plant

If this disease is detected, it is necessary to spray the bush with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture or other insecticides, which can be found in flower shops, for example, with the drug “Fitoverm” or “Fufanon”.

Rust is dangerous not only for cinquefoil. We have already said that.

How it is used in landscape design

Cinquefoil looks beautiful both in gardens and as a border plant.

Flowers look especially good when surrounded by low-growing plants. If you plant the bushes in a row, you will get a hedge with which you can fence off a bed of flowers.

She creates an image decorative carpet, so you can use it to cover empty spaces in your garden or decorate a roadside area.

On raised flower beds it can be used as a weaving foreground decoration.

It can cover the bare stems of tall bushes, and can also be planted with brighter or paler plants to create contrast.

Cinquefoil different varieties often used to decorate the garden

Healing abilities

Cinquefoil is well used in folk medicine, since its rhizome is rich in useful substances. Therefore, this plant is used in the treatment of wounds, for pain and inflammation. Powders prepared from cinquefoil are used to treat purulent wounds, boils, and pimples.

Also used if treatment of the thyroid gland, goiter is necessary, and is also used for hormonal imbalances in the body.

It is often used in the treatment diseases of the gastrointestinal tract or metabolic disorders.

Herbalists suggest using it for diseases of the heart and blood vessels, and for atherosclerosis. Decoctions made from rhizomes help with inflammation oral cavity, sore throat and stomatitis.

Dangers and contraindications

When using cinquefoil for the prevention or treatment of various diseases, you should be aware of the contraindications:

1. Nepalese cinquefoil lowers blood pressure, which is dangerous for hypertensive patients.
2. You should not drink cinquefoil decoctions before an upcoming trip while driving a car, before taking exams or before presentations, as this plant causes drowsiness and reduces attentiveness.

Before using cinquefoil decoctions and tinctures consultation with a doctor is required to draw up a treatment program, select a dosage or identify individual intolerance.

It does not have any other dangerous properties, however, you should always be careful.

The best varieties

There are many different varieties of cinquefoil, but among them there are some of the most popular species that gardeners often prefer.

Miss Wilmont

This species is decorated with large flowers, which are collected in paniculate inflorescences. Flowers have delicate color with a pink tint. Plants of this variety are completely unpretentious and are not afraid of the cold.

Miss Wilmont is barely different from the original Nepalese. The Miss Wilmont subspecies is characterized by the red color of its flowers. The variety is great for decorating your garden.

Cultivation of the Miss Wilmont variety begins in the first month of spring. The plant germinates very quickly, seedlings begin to appear within a couple of weeks.

The seeds of this plant can be found in many flower shops.

Carmen

The flowers of the “Carmen” variety are quite large, their height reaches three centimeters. The flowers have a red tint with dark veins and stamens symmetrically placed in the center. The calyx of the flower consists mainly of five petals.

Flowers can be solitary or collected in inflorescences. Over time, voluminous ground cover clumps are formed. That's why this look is great looks great in flower beds and curbs.

"Carmen" is also unpretentious and is not afraid of very severe frosts. The plant can withstand temperatures reduced to -25 degrees and is not afraid of drought. It can even winter under snow cover. But for better care, it is preferable to choose a slightly darkened planting site.

Herbaceous perennial Nepalese

This variety has been decorating a garden or flowerbed for a long time with many bright colors. The herbaceous height reaches from 30 to 80 centimeters, and the flower size reaches three centimeters in diameter. This type It has spreading stems and elegant leaves reminiscent of strawberry leaves.

Try using Herbaceous to decorate your garden Herbaceous, like other cinquefoils, is well suited for landscaping

Hybrid Nepalese

This is the look you get after crossing several different species. Hybrid cinquefoil has a straight stem, the height of which reaches 85-95 centimeters. The plant has leaf blades located low above the ground.

Hybrid flowers have different colors: yellow, dark red, white, pink. Their diameter is five centimeters. Flowers are collected in inflorescences that form a corymb or raceme.

Currently, scientists continue to research the properties of Nepalese cinquefoil, and its popularity continues to grow.

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

Description of cinquefoil: varieties and varieties

If in ancient times healers wanted to stop bleeding from a wound, relieve pain or cure poisoning, cinquefoil shrubs came to the rescue. Caring for and growing the crop does not cause any trouble for gardeners. Nowadays the perennial is more cultivated as ornamental plant. There are at least 500 species of shrubby cinquefoil (quinquefoil). Here are just a few varieties:

1. Annette - up to 0.5 m, flowers are orange with a reddish tint.
2. Longacre - with yellow flowers.
3. Pink Queen - with creeping shoots and pink flowers, up to 60 cm in height.
4. Princess - perennial variety with pale pink flowers.

Anyone who has been growing and propagating cinquefoil for many years knows that it makes an excellent drink, rich in vitamin C. For this reason, the plant is called Kuril tea. In Siberia and the Kuril Islands, it is most common as a remedy for colds and flu. For those who have already used cinquefoil in landscape design on your site, you probably liked the ease of its cultivation and ease of care.

Planting a plant

The optimal location is partial shade. When planting in a sunny area, you run the risk of not admiring the bright flowering of the five-leaf plant. Some varieties fade 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 pink varieties are the most demanding in this regard. Plant bloodroot 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 of up to 20 cm. It is best to use limestone gravel: it contains calcium.

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. Fill it with soil in combination with 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 care.

Cinquefoil care

For good growth in open ground and flowering, cinquefoil requires moist soil. Therefore, the main rule of care is watering. Often, cinquefoil only needs rainwater, and it is also considered a drought-resistant plant. However, still make sure that the soil does not dry out.

In the first 3 weeks after planting, young seedlings should be given half a bucket of water once every 7-8 days. During hot summers, provide watering 2-3 times a week. A bucket of water will be enough for each bush, but not ice water. Finish the procedure by loosening (to a depth of 5-10 cm) and mulching.

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

Fertilizer and feeding

Besides mineral fertilizer introduced during planting, the cinquefoil needs the following feeding:

Potassium sulfate and phosphate fertilizer:

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

Phosphorus and potassium fertilizing:

• use any according to the instructions;
• Application time: before flowering.

Potentilla propagation

When growing cinquefoil, 4 propagation methods are used:

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

When propagating by layering, the cut shoot is bent to the ground. The cut site is secured with a pin and sprinkled with soil. When the cutting has acquired its roots, it is planted in a new place. This is the easiest method.

Cuttings are cut in the summer from those branches that appeared last year, removing lower leaves. Plant them 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 open ground. They do this both in spring and autumn. The main condition is warm weather.

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

Diseases and pests

And here is a reason to rejoice for gardeners who grow cinquefoil. Planting and caring for it are also simple because pest control is not required. They practically do not touch this perennial plant. Almost the only misfortune is rust.

Yellow-brown spots with a purple tint appear on the leaves. If the bush is severely affected, the foliage curls and dries out, you will need to spray it with a solution of manganese and boron or sulfur. Rust develops well on pine branches; avoid proximity to this conifer.

Cinquefoil shrub: combination with other plants

Good partners for five-leaf plant:

• Heuchera;
• junipers;
• barberry;
• cotoneaster;

The combination of yellow cinquefoil with:

• catnip;
• hyssop.

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

Cinquefoil shrub in landscape design

This plant holds its shape well. Borders and hedges look beautiful. A single cinquefoil bush on the lawn looks harmonious. Often in landscape design this perennial is used for:

• flower beds-mixborders;

Cinquefoil shrub can grow in open ground for up to 20-30 years. Make room for it and it will decorate your garden all year round.

Cinquefoil: video

Types of Potentilla shrub: photo

Cinquefoil (lat. Potentilla) is an unpretentious herbaceous plant from the Rosaceae family. There are more than 500 species of cinquefoil in nature. There are both low-growing shrubs, tall and creeping specimens, which are used by summer residents and gardeners to decorate flower beds, borders, rockeries and alpine slides. The most popular among summer residents are perennial plant species that do not require special care and at the same time bloom for a long time and beautifully.

The color of the flowers of the plant is so diverse that you can get confused when choosing color range summer cottage plot. Potentilla blooms in yellow, red, snow-white, orange, cream, pink delicate flowers. The flowering time of the plant is from May to September. The most widespread culture is in the Urals, the Caucasus, and Western Siberia, where shrubby cinquefoil is often called “Kuril tea” or “quinquefoil.” Potentilla was first discovered precisely on the Kuril Islands, from where it has already spread throughout Russia and to other countries. Since ancient times, cinquefoil leaves, rich in vitamin C, essential oils and tannin, have been used as a healing tea that heals colds and quickly gets you back on your feet. Today, it is an excellent ornamental plant, loved by landscape designers and flower growers for its unpretentiousness, simplicity and bright long-term flowering throughout the summer season.

Cinquefoil, description and types of plants

Cinquefoil is a plant represented by numerous species of annual, biennial, and perennial crops, including both shrubby and herbaceous species.

Cinquefoil bush. Perennial shrub crop with a dense spherical crown. The height of the bush reaches up to 1.5 meters. This is the most common species of the genus, which is popularly called “Kuril tea” or “five-leaf tea”. In nature, compact, highly branched bushes can often be found on rocky slopes, screes, and in rock cracks on pebbles, where they form thickets. The leaves of Potentilla fruticosa are slightly pubescent, dissected into 5 lobes, the flowers are quite large, collected in inflorescences. In the center of the flower there are many stamens, which is why the middle looks fluffy.

The flowering of shrubby cinquefoil begins in June and continues until October. There are shrubs with different flower colors, but most often the flowering of the cinquefoil shrub resembles the flowering of an apple tree or rose hip. After flowering, an achene is formed - a brown button-shaped box, which adds additional decorativeness to the crop.

Among the most popular varieties can be distinguished:

• Abbotswood is a bush, up to 1 meter high, with a pillow-shaped dense crown. The leaves have a light green tint, white flowers are collected in small clusters. The shrub looks great in rock gardens, in group plantings with other plants, and is used to decorate borders.
• Guilford Cream is a tall bush, up to 1.5 in height. The crown is dense, cushion-shaped, the leaves have a dark green tint. The flowers are large, cream or white.
• Red Ace - Shrub up to 70 cm high, wide crown - up to 1.3 meters wide. The peculiarity of the variety is creeping shoots. The leaves are dark green, blooms with bright flowers in orange-red tones.
• Pink Queen is a beautiful flowering shrub up to 80 cm high, blooms with pale pink flowers, flowering time is from June to September.
• Hoppy Orange is a low bush up to 0.5 meters in height with a wide meter-long crown. One of the most hardy and winter-hardy varieties.

Cinquefoil Apennine. The perennial plant is native to the mountainous parts of Europe, where it grows at altitudes of more than 1500 meters. Plant height is from 5 to 15 cm, the leaves are trifoliate, pubescent, with a silvery tint. It blooms with pink or white flowers, up to 15 mm in diameter, flowering time is late summer. Used to decorate rock gardens, rock crevices in landscape design.

White cinquefoil. A perennial plant native to central Europe and Russia. Height from 8 to 25 cm. Stems and leaves are covered with silky, appressed hairs. It has complex palmate-lobed basal leaves with dark brown stipules. It blooms with small white flowers on long stalks, up to 3 cm in diameter, from May to August. An unpretentious crop, however, it does not tolerate scorching sunlight and excess moisture in the soil.

Potentilla goose, or crow's foot . Ground cover, unpretentious crop, widespread in Russia. The leaves are pinnate, coarsely toothed, blooms with small yellow single flowers, up to 2 cm in diameter. Peduncles are leafless. The plant is not demanding, it grows everywhere, along roads, highways - where other plants cannot survive.

Nepalese cinquefoil. Perennial herbaceous species, bush up to half a meter high. Nepal and the Western Himalayas are considered its homeland. The stems are straight, branched, and colored purple. This variety has leaves that are quite large, palmate, up to 30 cm in length, and dark green in color. The flowers are bright, large, red, pink, with dark pink veins, collected in panicles. Flowering begins in July, duration is 55 days.

Among the Nepalese cinquefoil there are attractive hybrid varieties, the most common of them are:

• Miss Wilmott- lush flowers cherry pink with a dark eye.
• Roxana - salmon-orange flowers with thin dark veins.

Cinquefoil erecta (straight, or galangal). Perennial with a thickened woody rhizome, wildlife grows in forests, tundra, on the banks of rivers, lakes, and swamps. The stem of the plant is erect, up to 20 cm high, the upper part of the bush is without foliage. Single flowers, correct form, up to 1 cm in diameter, grow on long thin stalks. Flowering period – June – August.

Cinquefoil - planting

The cinquefoil plant is undemanding to growing conditions, so growing cinquefoil on summer cottage- a pleasure. The only exception is white cinquefoil, which grows exclusively in the shade and does not tolerate excessive humidity. All other numerous species prefer light, shaded areas of the garden at midday. Excess sunlight has a bad effect on the appearance of flowers. Delicate petals quickly fade under the scorching rays of the sun and lose their attractiveness. Lack of light can stop flowering or cause the plant to grow stunted.

Choosing soil for planting cinquefoil

The ideal soil for cinquefoil is loamy soil, although it can grow on any type of soil that requires additional fertilizing. Varieties with pink flowers are especially demanding on soil composition.

Planting cinquefoil seedlings in the ground

Cinquefoil shrub is the most popular variety of plant, which is used by summer residents to decorate their gardens and cottages. It is planted in spring or autumn.

1. When planting seedlings, it should be taken into account that this type of cinquefoil has a superficial root system, so planting holes should be up to 0.5 - 0.6 meters deep. The distance between plantings is from 30 to 80 cm.
2. A drainage layer of pebbles, crushed stone, broken bricks, and on top - a layer of leaf soil mixed with humus and river sand in a ratio of 2:2:1. TO soil mixture you need to add about 100 grams of mineral fertilizers or ash.
3. The seedling is placed in the planting hole. The main condition for planting a cinquefoil seedling is careful placement in landing pit root collar of the plant. It must be above ground level.
4. Then the seedling is watered abundantly, the soil around the bush is mulched: sawdust, dry bark, straw. For a month after planting, it is necessary to maintain soil moisture and prevent it from drying out.

Cinquefoil - care

Caring for cinquefoil is not difficult and even novice gardeners can do it. It is enough to provide the perennial with regular and moderate watering, fertilization, timely pruning and weeding from weed under the bushes.

Watering cinquefoil

Cinquefoil blooms profusely and grows actively in well-moistened soil, although it is considered a drought-resistant, unpretentious crop. In rainy summers, the plant may not need additional watering. And in hot summers, it needs to be watered 2-3 times a week, preventing the soil from drying out. You cannot use cold ice water In order not to harm the root system, it is better to water the bushes with warm, settled water. After watering, it is recommended to loosen the soil shallowly. In the evening, cinquefoil can be sprayed. Young seedlings need special watering; they are watered frequently, spending up to 10 liters of warm water per bush.

Feeding cinquefoil

The flowering perennial responds well to fertilizing. When planting a seedling, any mineral fertilizer or ash is added, and next spring the plant can be fed with the following fertilizers:

• During the period of active growth, in the spring, it is necessary to fertilize the soil with 30-40 grams of potassium sulfate and phosphate, diluted in 10 liters of water, per plant.
• During the budding period, the soil is fertilized with phosphorus-potassium complex fertilizers, according to the instructions.

Pruning cinquefoil

To maintain an attractive appearance shrubby cinquefoil and its decorative properties, it is necessary to regularly trim the crown of the plant. Pruning is carried out in early spring, before the buds open, or in the fall, by shortening the shoots by a third, giving the crown the necessary shape, as well as removing dry, broken branches growing inward. Most often, the bush is shaped into a ball or pillow. After rejuvenation, active shoot growth begins and abundant flowering is stimulated. In addition to pruning, the soil under the plant must be periodically loosened, especially after watering, and weeds removed.

Cinquefoil after flowering

In the fall, after flowering, when the plant loses its decorative effect, annual cinquefoil species are removed, and the area where it grew is dug up, adding fertilizer to the soil. After flowering of the shrubby cinquefoil is completed, the shoots are shortened by a third and the soil is watered with Bordeaux mixture as a preventative measure.

Cinquefoil in winter

Perennial herbaceous and shrubby species of cinquefoil do not need winter shelter, since the plant is hardy to winter frosts. Only cuttings and young seedlings that are planted in the fall need to be covered for the winter.

Cinquefoil - reproduction

Like everyone else garden plants, Potentilla propagates by seeds or vegetatively.

Propagation of cinquefoil by seeds

The seed method of planting cinquefoil is used less frequently than the vegetative method and can only be done by experienced gardeners who prefer to sow the seeds directly into the ground. However, for good germination, it is recommended to sow seeds indoors using containers. Sowing seeds in containers is carried out in the last ten days of February. For planting, prepare a wide box with drainage holes, which is filled with nutritious soil mixture. You can use peat and humus taken in equal proportions. The seeds are planted in moist soil, sprinkled with a small layer of earth, and covered clear glass or film. The optimal temperature for seedling germination is - +16–18 °C. It is worth noting that some varieties of cinquefoil reproduce by self-sowing.

Propagation of cinquefoil by cuttings

Cuttings are carried out in July or August. For propagation by cuttings, last year's shoots are selected, from which leaves and flowers are removed; the length of the cutting is from 8 to 10 cm. The cutting can be rooted in moist perlite or in open ground, choosing a shaded and draft-protected place in the garden for it. It is necessary to cover the cutting with a jar or plastic bottle, creating greenhouse conditions for it, not forgetting that the cutting must be sprayed and ventilated several times a day. When buds appear on the cuttings, they should be removed so that they do not weaken the rooting cuttings. IN winter period young plants need shelter.

Propagation of cinquefoil by layering

Reproduction by layering is the simplest method of propagating cinquefoil. In the spring, select a low-growing shoot of the plant, make a cut along its outer side and place it in a small, pre-dug ditch. The cut should be located at the bottom of the groove; attach the shoot to the ground with a metal bracket and sprinkle with soil. By autumn, the cuttings have formed a strong root system and can be separated from the mother bush and transplanted to a permanent place.

Propagation of cinquefoil by dividing the bush

Adult bushes are propagated by division; the age of the mother bush must reach 4 years. The bush is dug up and its rhizome is washed. warm water and cut the root into pieces using a sharp knife. Each part of the division should have 2-3 buds. The roots of the divisions are treated in a growth stimulator and transplanted into the ground without burying the buds in the ground. The method of propagation by dividing the mother bush is used in the spring, in April or September.

Diseases and pests of cinquefoil

When planting shrubby cinquefoil at the dacha or in the garden, you don’t have to worry about the plant, because the perennial is practically not susceptible to diseases and is not affected by pests, like others horticultural crops. But there is one disease that plagues perennial plant species - rust. The disease is manifested by the appearance of yellow-brown spots on the green leaves of the cinquefoil. If the plant is not treated, its leaves dry out and fall off. To treat plants against rust, preparations containing sulfur and boron are used, Bordeaux mixture, spraying with a solution of potassium permanganate also helps. Experienced flower growers have noticed that rust appears on the plant if the bushes are planted next to coniferous crops. To avoid this disease, do not plant cinquefoil next to conifers.

Among the cinquefoil pests, an attack by cutworms is sometimes observed; insecticides are effective in combating them: Fufanon, Fitoverm.

Cinquefoil: beneficial properties

Along with decorative properties plants, cinquefoil is healing plant. In folk medicine, the beneficial properties of cinquefoil, which is popularly called “Kuril tea,” are widely used. Its leaves contain large amounts of vitamin C, A, essential oils. An infusion of plant shoots is used to treat pyelonephritis, enuresis in children, to wash pustules, to treat burns and boils. Used for stomach pain and diarrhea.

Cinquefoil in landscape design

Thanks to its long and abundant flowering, as well as ease of cultivation, cinquefoil has won the hearts of many flower growers and landscape designers, which decorate summer cottages and flower beds with plants. Cinquefoil shrub is a favorite of summer residents, it looks great in garden compositions as a flowering hedge. Shrubs reaching a height of up to 1.5 meters are used for garden landscaping; their crown is shaped into a ball or pillow. The bush looks luxurious when planted alone in the center of the lawn. Low growing varieties– decoration of borders. The endurance and unpretentiousness of cinquefoil is used to create stone garden, rockeries, alpine slides. Cinquefoil fits harmoniously into any group plantings. The bush looks impressive with yellow flowers in the vicinity of barberry, spirea Boumalda, junipers, lavender. Varieties with bright pink and orange flowers, such as “Lovely Pink” and “Red Ice”, will decorate any corner of the garden with their blooms throughout the summer.

Cinquefoil - beautiful plant, which does not require special attention, but will delight its owner for a long and long flowering throughout the summer. If you decide to plant shrubby cinquefoil in your summer cottage, select a suitable permanent place for it, where it will grow for up to 20-30 years, delighting and admiring its beauty for many years.

Cinquefoil: photo

Cinquefoil bush or Kuril tea is a member of the rose family. The shrub is found in the mountains Central Asia, Caucasus, China, Altai and Far East, in Siberia. Learn about the types of Kuril tea, how to properly grow and care for it, as well as its decorative uses.

Botanical description

Kuril tea has excellent decorative qualities. A wide, branched shrub can reach a height of 20 cm to 1.5 m. Pinnately compound leaves with 2-3 pairs of fused small leaves of an oblong shape are covered with small hairs.
Bright yellow or white consist of five round petals and many stamens. From the beginning of June, flowers up to 3 cm in diameter adorn the tops of the branches. Small brown fruits appear immediately after flowering begins.

Did you know? Kuril tea, except decorative qualities, has many useful properties and is used in folk medicine. An excellent tonic drink rich in vitamin C is prepared from it.

Species

Numerous species of shrubby cinquefoil are known in nature: from tall to low-growing and herbaceous creeping ones. Breeders have developed hundreds of new varieties that differ in height, shape, and shade of flowers. The most common shade is yellow, but cinquefoil also comes in pink, orange, red and white flowers. Different types This plant can be used in landscape design to create beautiful compositions, as green hedges and when creating alpine slides, to decorate the garden in combination with other flowers.

Some varieties have a spherical bush shape, others are fountain-shaped, cushion-shaped or creeping; the size and shade of the flowers also differ. All species have one valuable quality - abundant flowering from the beginning of June until frost.

Low types of cinquefoil are perfect for alpine slides and rockeries:

The garden and flower garden will be decorated with herbaceous varieties:

Reproduction

Potentilla propagates in three ways:

• cuttings;
• seeds;
• root layering.

Cuttings

Propagation by cuttings is the most popular and effective method. Young flexible shoots from upper parts healthy and well-developed bushes. From the beginning of June to mid-July, cuttings can be prepared.

Important! Shoots with flowers cannot be used for cuttings; their root system is poorly formed and diseases can develop.

The length of the cuttings should be from 8 to 12 cm; they are cut along with the foliage. Leave 1 cm below the bud, and cut off the top directly above the bud. They are then planted in greenhouses or greenhouses. It is necessary to ensure high humidity air and protecting cuttings from direct sunlight. After half a month, they form a root system. New seedlings can be planted in a permanent place or left in the greenhouse until next spring.
To speed up the process of root system formation, it is recommended to use growth stimulants to treat cuttings before planting. You can use special chemicals or prepare natural stimulant, dilute 40 g of sugar per 1 liter of water. The cuttings must be kept in the solution for 10 hours or more, depending on the type of stimulant. In greenhouses and greenhouses, it is recommended to use a nutritious turf-leaf substrate, and on top a five-centimeter layer of peat or sand. In the greenhouse, the cuttings should grow up to 30 cm; they have a well-developed root system. After this, they are planted in a permanent place at a distance of 25 cm from each other, so that the root collar is at ground level. The planting process is best done in cloudy weather.

Seeds

Potentilla seeds are small and can be sown in pots or open ground. It is necessary to dig and level the soil, sow the seeds, press them in or cover them with a thin layer of fertile soil. Water well, shoots should appear in 3 weeks, optimal temperature the temperature in the room should not be lower than 18°C.
It is advisable to sow the seeds in late autumn. If at the beginning of spring, then to improve germination they must be stratified in advance. A week after the emergence of seedlings, you need to plant them at a distance of 30 cm from each other. After a month and a half, the seedlings can be planted in a permanent place in loose, nutritious soil, in a well-lit place.

Root layering

Propagating Kuril tea by root layering is very simple. In summer, it is enough to press the lower young branches to the ground or press them down with a stone. The place where the layer is pressed to the ground must be covered with soil.

Important! To speed up the process of emergence of the root system, it is recommended to make a small cut on the shoot where it is pressed to the ground.

After two weeks, roots should appear and the cuttings will begin to feed on their own. It needs to be watered and fed. You can separate the cuttings from the main bush the next year. It is best to plant it in the spring as an independent seedling in a permanent place.
The depth of the hole for planting cinquefoil should be about 0.5 m. It is recommended to make a drainage layer of pebbles 20 cm thick at the bottom of the hole. Next, you need to fill half of the hole with a mixture of humus sand, leaf soil in a ratio of 2:1:2 and mineral fertilizer (about 150 g). Top layer fall asleep fertile soil. The seedling must be placed at a depth at which the root collar is at ground level and watered well. Kuril tea can be replanted in spring and late August.

Plant care

Kuril tea is a fairly unpretentious and drought-resistant plant, but for good flowering requires care: watering, fertilizing, loosening the soil and pruning bushes.

During dry and hot periods, it is necessary to water the cinquefoil 2-3 times a week. If the summer is rainy, then there is no need to water the plant. Water for irrigation should be settled and warm, very cold water harms the root system. For young seedlings, watering is especially important; without regular watering they will die. You need to pour about 10 liters of water under one plant.

Humidity

For good growth and flowering of bushes, the main thing is to prevent the soil from drying out. Cinquefoil can be additionally sprayed in the evening to maintain required humidity hot summer.

The first feeding of the plant is done during planting. A year later in the spring, when the cinquefoil is actively developing, it is recommended to apply phosphate and potassium sulfate in the form of a solution of 30 g of fertilizer per 10 liters of water under the bush. At the beginning of flowering, you can additionally feed with phosphorus-potassium complex fertilizer.

Loosening and mulching the soil

Loosening the soil must be carried out after each watering; this procedure helps good growth and plant development. Mulching the soil with peat under the bushes helps retain moisture.

Regular pruning in early spring is necessary for vigorous flowering of Kuril tea. With the help of pruning, the shape of the bushes is corrected; the plant tolerates this procedure well. Bushes can be given a variety of shapes. It is recommended to prune before the buds open in the spring or late autumn. The shoots are shortened by about a third, ridding the plant of dry and ugly branches.

Examples of use in landscape design

Cinquefoil is quite often used in landscape design. The variety of varieties, the length of the flowering period, unpretentiousness, winter hardiness - these are all the advantages of the plant. Cinquefoil does not displace other plants and is good neighbor for other cultures, harmonizes well with them.

Can be used as a flowering hedge, decorate flower beds, borders or alpine coaster depending on the variety. Tall bushes can decorate any garden; they can be given a wide variety of shapes. Cinquefoil goes well with various compositions made of natural stones, with lavender, barberry, and juniper.

Difficulties in growing

Growing cinquefoil is not difficult; this plant does not require special conditions. It is recommended to choose a permanent sunny place with loose and nutritious soil, because the life expectancy of the bushes is more than 30 years. Cinquefoil with yellow flowers is more frost-resistant than with other colors. The varieties bred by breeders are afraid of severe frosts and are more demanding to care for.

Did you know? If you have chosen varieties with red flowers, then during a particularly hot period they may not produce pigment in the right quantity and the flowers will turn yellow. Don't worry, with the onset of cold nights in August the flowers will turn bright red again.

Diseases and pests

Kuril tea is quite resistant to diseases and pests. The plant is affected by only one fungal disease- rust. With this disease, rust-like spots appear on the leaves. This causes the leaves to deteriorate, which can lead to the death of the entire bush. For treatment, copper-soap emulsion, sulfur or other preparations are used to treat disease-affected bushes. Flower growers claim that rust appears more often if coniferous crops grow next to the cinquefoil.
The main pests of Kuril tea are cutworms; insecticides (Fitoverm, Futanon) will help get rid of them. So, we found out that Kuril tea can decorate the garden and flower beds, delighting abundant flowering all summer. This unpretentious, long-lived plant does not require complex care, is not afraid of cold weather. Fits perfectly into the design, emphasizing the beauty of other flowers and bushes. Everyone can choose for themselves the most suitable varieties and if you want to propagate them, it is not difficult.

Video: Potentilla, Kuril tea