Shrubby Cinquefoil - Potentilla fruticosa - Shrub

Potentillas come in a range of colours from white through pinks to deep red and also in yellows, pale primrose to bright acid yellow. "Elizabeth" is one of the best varieties available, with masses of beautiful, bright yellow flowers resembling wild roses from late spring to mid autumn above mounds of small, dark green leaves.  

It makes for an unusual and delightfully informal long flowering hedge, or is equally good as an inclusion into a mixed border. Compact and rounded in habit, although it will tolerate partial shade it flowers best in full sun.

Height and spread: 1m x 1.5m (3ft x 5ft)

• Position: full sun

• Soil: poor to moderately fertile, well-drained soil, doesn't like wet

• Rate of growth: average

• Flowering period: May to October

• Flower colour: bright yellow, also primrose yellow, and a range of reds and pinks

• Other features: mounds of small, dark green leaves

• Hardiness: fully hardy

Uses - Hedging / mixed border

Planting distance when used for hedging	Clipped height	Number of times to clip per season and when	Responds to renovation?
30-45cm, 18-24"	0.6-1.2m, 2-4ft	1, spring	No

Pruning: Prune in mid spring after flowering, trim in autumn also if required. There is a tendency to retain old twiggy shoots, remove these to retain a compact dense growth, also shorten long wayward shoots by up to a half of their length. Sometimes responds to renovation if cut back to about 15cm, 6" of the ground, if not then replace the plant.