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Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

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Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda (Shrubby cinquefoil)
Cressler, Alan

Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda

Dasiphora fruticosa (L.) Rydb. ssp. floribunda (Pursh) Kartesz

Shrubby Cinquefoil, Golden Hardhack, Potentilla

Rosaceae (Rose Family)

Synonym(s): Dasiphora floribunda, Dasiphora fruticosa, Pentaphylloides floribunda, Pentaphylloides fruticosa, Potentilla floribunda, Potentilla fruticosa ssp. floribunda, Potentilla fruticosa var. farreri, Potentilla fruticosa var. tenuifolia

USDA Symbol: DAFRF

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), AK (N), CAN (N), SPM (N)

Golden-hardhack or potentilla is a low, rounded shrub, 3-4 ft. high and equally as wide, with dainty, grayish-green, pinnately compound leaves and long-blooming, showy, yellow flowers. Fall color is insignificant and leaves may or may not be evergreen depending on locality.

Shrubby Cinquefoil is in the rose family (family Rosaceae), which includes about 2000 species of trees, shrubs, and herbs worldwide; approximately 77 native and 9 naturalized tree species and many species of shrubs and herbs in North America.

 

From the Image Gallery

19 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Fruit Type: Achene , Aggregate
Size Notes: Up to about 4 feet tall.
Leaf: Green
Fruit: Aggregated achenes.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Time: Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep

Distribution

USA: AK , AL , AZ , CA , CO , CT , IA , ID , IL , IN , MA , ME , MI , MN , MT , ND , NH , NJ , NM , NV , NY , OH , OR , PA , SD , UT , VT , WA , WI , WY
Canada: AB , BC , MB , NB , NL , NS , NT , ON , PE , QC , SK , YT
Native Distribution: S. Lab. to AK, s. to New England & NJ, OH, n. IL, n. IA, SD, NM & CA
Native Habitat: Wet to dry, open calcareous sites

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low
Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Dry
Soil pH: Circumneutral (pH 6.8-7.2)
CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium
Soil Description: Variable.
Conditions Comments: Potentilla provides good erosion control and is pest and maintenance free. Just ignore it.

Benefit

Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Attracts: Butterflies

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees
Supports Conservation Biological Control

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Propagation

Description: Propagate by fresh-sown seed; summer, softwood cuttings treated with hormone; or by division.
Commercially Avail: yes

Mr. Smarty Plants says

Flowering and evergreen shrubs for landscape in Indiana
May 29, 2010
I live in Southern Indiana and we are getting ready to redesign our front landscape. Currently, we have some yews and other shrubs that are unruly and require a lot of pruning and care. My husband hat...
view the full question and answer

Evergreen privacy hedge and drought-resistant garden
July 21, 2008
I am looking for a hardy evergreen hedge for privacy in Northern Michigan. I have sandy soil. Also am interested in planting a drought garden with mostly sun in same sandy soil.
view the full question and answer

Advice on planting Korean dogwood (Cornus kousa) in Vancouver, BC
October 26, 2007
I live in the Vancouver, BC - Pacific Northwest area and the front of our yard faces south to southwest. If I were to plant a tree other than an evergreen, would the Korean Dogwood thrive in this are...
view the full question and answer

Alternatives to non-native heather (Calluna vulgaris)
April 27, 2007
I live in Vernon, BC, Canada. I plan to put a heather plant in my garden, but my space is limited. I know that it will grow approx. 2 ft. high and that it likes well drained and acidic soil, but how...
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Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-05-09
Research By: TWC Staff

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