Grow cinquefoil in full sun and well-drained soil. Cinquefoil is Potentilla.
Give it full sun and well-drained soil
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Sun | Full sun; light afternoon shade in a hot summer keeps color from fading | Do not site it in deep shade that opens the plant and cuts bloom |
| Soil | Average, well-drained ground; lean, rocky, or clay is fine | Do not leave a garden shrub in a permanently wet crown |
| Water | Regular water the first season; then only in a long drought | Do not leave standing water around the roots |
| Mulch | A few inches of bark or compost kept off the stems | Do not pile a wet mound against the bark |
Cinquefoil is a sun plant. Full sun packs more flowers; light afternoon shade is useful in a hot summer so pink and red kinds fade less. [1] Well-drained soil is the usual bed. Dry, rocky, or clay ground works once the plant is in. A wet low spot rots the crown of a garden shrub. [2] A shrub such as Goldfinger wants that same drain. So does Abbotswood. Skip a site with long, hot, humid summers — mildew and mites build there, and bloom thins. [3] Marsh cinquefoil is the wet kind; pick it on Types of Cinquefoil instead of forcing a drain shrub into a pond.
Does cinquefoil need full sun?
It flowers best in full sun. Light afternoon shade is fine in a hot summer. Deep shade makes a thin plant with a weak bloom.
Will cinquefoil grow in shade?
A few hours of sun is the floor. Full shade cuts bloom and opens the outline.
Will deer eat cinquefoil?
They usually leave the garden shrub alone. Hungry deer may browse any plant. Do not count on that for marsh cinquefoil or silverweed.
Water the first season, then only in a long drought
New plants need regular water through the first growing season. Once roots take, the shrub tolerates dry spells. Extra water in a wet summer is the usual cause of rot.
- Soak after planting, and keep the root ball moist through the first season.
- Water in a long drought. Do not wait for the leaves to wilt in July heat.
- Mulch the root zone, and keep the mulch off the stems so the bark stays dry.
- Do not leave the crown in a puddle. Moist the first year is the aim, not standing water.
How often should I water cinquefoil?
Keep a new plant moist the first season. Then water only in a long drought. Do not leave the crown in standing water.
Set a new plant on Planting Cinquefoil so the crown sits even with the soil. Cut old stems in late winter on Pruning Cinquefoil — it flowers on this year's wood.
Grow a smaller kind in a draining pot
Open ground that drains is the usual home. A compact shrub can sit in a large pot on a sunny patio.
- Use a pot with a drainage hole, at least twice as wide as the nursery ball.
- Fill it with potting mix that dries after a soak, not garden clay.
- Water when the top couple of inches are dry. A pot dries faster than the ground, so check more often in heat.
- Keep the pot out of a winter puddle. Raise it so the hole stays open.
Can I grow cinquefoil in a pot?
A compact shrub can sit in a large draining pot. Open ground is the usual home. Water when the top few inches are dry.
Take a softwood cutting, or divide a herbaceous clump
Named shrubs are usually started from softwood cuttings, not from seed. Herbaceous kinds can be divided when the clump gets congested.
- Cut a 4- to 6-inch tip of this year's growth, below a leaf joint, before it flowers.
- Strip the lower leaves. Dip the cut end in rooting hormone if you have it.
- Push the stem into moist, gritty mix — not soggy. Keep it in bright shade until it resists a gentle tug.
- For a border perennial, lift and split a congested clump in early spring or autumn, and replant at the same depth.
Can I grow cinquefoil from cuttings?
Named shrubs are usually started from softwood cuttings. Herbaceous kinds can be divided. Buy a plant if you want a named kind this season.
Not mock strawberry, and not garden strawberry
Mock strawberry is Potentilla indica — a lawn weed with three leaflets, runners, and dry red fruit. It is not the 2- to 4-foot shrub. [4] Garden strawberry is Fragaria. That job is on How to Grow Strawberry. Avens is How to Grow Geum. Choose kinds on Types of Cinquefoil.
Is cinquefoil the same as strawberry?
No. Garden strawberry is Fragaria. Mock strawberry is a three-leaflet lawn weed. Cinquefoil is the five-leaflet garden plant.
If the bed stays wet around the crown, move the plant onto draining ground — do not add extra water to compensate.
FAQ
Does cinquefoil take a hot, humid summer?
It is a cool-summer plant. In a long, hot, humid summer the shrub thins, mildew shows, and pink flowers fade. Give it sun, drain, and afternoon shade if summers run that way.
Does cinquefoil get mildew or mites?
Mildew and spider mites show up in heat and humidity, or on a crowded, wet plant. Fix the site first. Do not start a spray until the plant is in sun and air.
Is tormentil the same as bloodroot?
No. Tormentil is Potentilla erecta, a weedy herb in this genus. Bloodroot is a different spring woodland plant.
Can I eat silverweed roots?
Some people forage silverweed roots. That is not the garden job here. The usual plant is an ornamental shrub or border perennial.
Related guides
Recommended plants
References
- [1] NC State Extension Gardener -
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/dasiphora-fruticosa/ - [2] The Morton Arboretum -
https://mortonarb.org/plant-and-protect/trees-and-plants/shrubby-cinquefoil/ - [3] Garden Design -
https://www.gardendesign.com/shrubs/potentilla.html - [4] NC State Extension Gardener -
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/potentilla-indica/
This note is part of Potentilla Guides.
More first-season notes by plant are gathered in How to Grow Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors