Potentilla fruticosa 'Blink' PRINCESS^®

Cinquefoil is a popular plant in gardens of various sizes and is often found in city parks and arboretums. They have several flower colours and thanks to zero maintenance they can be planted almost anywhere. In spite of mainstream hunger for the deepest colours there are varieties which will enchant you with their subtle, almost shy colour tones. Just like this one called PRINCESS^®. It is a chance seedling found by R.Blair from Dawyck Gardens in Scotland, United Kingdom, and introduced in 1982.

PRINCESS^® cinquefoil makes lovely, as if blushing flowers. They are pale pink, or others might say white flushed pink but as I see it there is pink colour all over the petal so pink it is. They are 2-3 cm across and bloom from mid May until September. Palmately divided leaves are small, medium green, not very showy.

It makes upright and later somewhat dome-shaped shrubs which may lack lower branches with age, so annual pruning is highly recommended to keep it compact and bushy. Also, for the best contrast of the flowers and foliage provide some extra watering to keep the leaves look fresh creating a perfect background for the flowers.

Cinquefoil grows best in well-drained, poor or moderately fertile soil in full sun. Fast and large growing varieties can be trimmed in early spring. It does not need extra fertilizing or watering once established, though a good selective fertilizer may enhance continuous production of new flower buds. It is fully hardy to abt. -43°C (USDA zone 2), and suitable for outdoor pots down to zone 5, just do not let them dry out completely.

Last update 08-11-2018