Potentilla fruticosa Citrus Tart - Shrubby Cinquefoil

Potentilla fruticosa 'Citrus Tart' is a variety of shrub potentilla that is still relatively uncommon and is distinguished by its remarkably long flowering period, from May-June until the end of autumn. It offers a multitude of double, very bright yellow flowers with large round petals. They constantly renew themselves on a very dense bush that seems undisturbed by heat or the relative dryness of the soil. Generous and easy to grow in well-drained soil, it fits anywhere, in flower beds, in a rockery but also in large pots on the patio. This variety also has the ability to attract butterflies.

Potentilla fruticosa is a woody shrub that belongs to the Rosaceae family. The 'Citrus Tart' variety is a deciduous and dense shrub, measuring between 60 and 90 cm (24 and 35in) in all directions at maturity. The shrub has a rounded habit, sometimes wider than it is tall, with slender branches. Its foliage is deciduous, and the small size of the leaves, which are divided into narrow leaflets, gives the dark green silhouette a beautiful lightness. A slight white hairiness on the underside of the leaves gives a silky and slightly silver appearance. Its double flowers, 3 cm (1in) in diameter, are a bright yellow, slightly touched with green, and have golden stamens. Each flower has 18 to 25 petals, arranged in inflorescences. The abundant flowering starts between May and June and lasts until the first frost, if the autumn is mild. It is more intense at the beginning of summer and then loses some of its vigour during the season, depending on the coolness of the soil.

In full sun, potentillas will deliver flowers with vibrant colours, while in partial shade the colour will be slightly less intense. Easy-care plants, generously flowering and simply colourful, potentillas are ideal for brightening up the garden or balcony. With their Scottish rose-like appearance and their very modest requirements, they can be used in multiple ways and planted anywhere: in flower beds, rockeries, borders, low hedges, pots...in most climates and in any well-drained soil.

They will have a beautiful effect when planted alongside Dahlias, Iris germanica, Achilleas, Gaura, Rudbeckias, poppies, Nigella, Centaurea. They will ideally combine with Mediterranean plants (Lavender, Rosemary, Cistus, Fennel, Helychrisum, Teucrium), for a warm and fragrant atmosphere. To create a very graphic scene, they can be paired with plants with a more slender or tousled habit (Phormiums, Grasses, Euphorbias, Crocosmias). On a slope or rockery, where they will be ideally placed if your garden soil is heavy and clay, they can be mixed with dwarf or creeping Conifers, creeping Ceanothus or groundcover and landscape Roses.