Long-flowering cinquefoil shrub in your garden
Beautiful lush bushes with many large inflorescences of various colors, blooming from late spring to late autumn - this is shrub cinquefoil. She is not only very decorative, but also not at all demanding in care. The plant is especially appreciated by lovers of the "lazy garden" and this is absolutely justified. Don't believe me? Then get acquainted: the most "convenient" shrub for a flowering garden - shrub cinquefoil.
What is a plant
As the name implies, this variety grows in the form of a bush. Its size depends on the specific variety, and there are many of them. The plant branches profusely, forming a dense spreading crown, the volume of which is almost equal to the height. Shoots of brown color with a gray tint are covered with dense dark green foliage. Cinquefoil grows from the North Pole to its southernmost borders and is known as Kuril tea. She can live in any climate, and even the Russian winter is unable to destroy the persistent garden beauty. However, the bushes do not care about drought, which they tolerate well, which is another plus.
The most common is Potentilla with yellow inflorescences, but there are also species with pink, white, orange and even red color. Most of them form whole baskets of flowers, covering the bush with a bright cap. The inflorescences consist of 5 petals, as in hawthorn, but rather large, with a diameter of 3 to 6 cm.
Cinquefoil is one of the rare garden plants that can bloom continuously for six months. Opening the first buds in May, it blooms until mid-October, until cold days and nights freeze the flowers. Even when it fades, Potentilla does it reluctantly. First, the middle of the flowers freeze and turn black, and only then the entire inflorescence is completely.
But Potentilla grows, slowly, slowly but surely acquiring new shoots. The annual growth does not exceed 10 cm. So, the maximum height of the bush is gaining by 10 years, reaching 1.2-1.5 m.
For a wide range of medicinal properties, Potentilla is popularly called "mighty". And in terms of vitamin C content, it is not inferior to citrus fruits.
Some of the most popular varieties of shrub Potentilla are:
- Pink Queen is a low-growing bush with creeping shoots and pink flowers;
- Abbotswood with a cushion crown with hanging shoots and white flowers;
- Princess Blink with pale pink flowers and a compact crown.
Shrub cinquefoil - features of cultivation
Potentilla bushes are an irreplaceable plant for any garden, even shady ones. They do not need special conditions, they do not require painstaking care, but they will decorate the site with green leaves and an abundance of flowers ... What else is needed for a gardener? Indeed, sometimes, with a strong desire, it is not always possible to devote time to your green pets. And Potentilla will forgive even the long absence of the owners, becoming even more magnificent and beautiful during this time.
The culture prefers partial shade, but will grow in both shade and sun. In the latter case, good lighting will only improve the decorative effect of Potentilla, allowing it to form larger buds.
When planting seedlings, the root collar does not need to be buried - it should remain at the soil level.
But what should not be neglected is a regular haircut. Cinquefoil not only loves this procedure, but also needs it. Each fall, you need to shorten the branches by 1/3. This will give the bush a more neat and tidy look.In addition, it stimulates the setting of more buds in the next season. You do not need to throw away the cut branches together with the leaves - they will make a delicious medicinal tea with a light aroma of roses.
In conclusion, I would like to note that the shrub cinquefoil is a very tenacious plant and has a high survival rate. It can be propagated in any way: seeds germinate well, and cuttings, cuttings and layers take root quickly.