Shrub
Shrubby Cinquefoil
Dasiphora fruticosa (syn. Potentilla fruticosa)
A compact native shrub that blooms from June to frost in the coldest gardens.
- Pollinator
- Native
- Deer-resistant
Quick facts
- Hardiness
- USDA zones 2–7
- Water
- Low once established
- Sun
- Full sun to Part sun
- Size
- 2–4 ft tall × 2–4 ft wide
- Bloom & interest
- Buttercup-like yellow flowers (white, orange or pink in some cultivars) from early summer to fall
- Plant type
- Shrub
- Native range
- Native across northern North America, including the Rocky Mountains and mountain West
Why we recommend it
Extremely cold-hardy, long-blooming, and native to the Rockies; one of the most reliable small flowering shrubs for high-elevation and northern xeriscapes.
Best regions: Front RangeGreat BasinHigh Desert
How to grow it
Watering to establish
Water weekly the first summer; afterward every 2–3 weeks in hot, dry weather.
Pruning
In late winter, remove a third of the oldest stems at the base, or shear lightly to shape.
Soil
Adaptable, including alkaline and clay; tolerates wind and cold.
Pairs well with
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Where to buy
Shop Shrubby Cinquefoil from trusted growers. For the best selection of xeric plants, try a mail-order specialist or ask a local independent nursery.
- High Country Gardens (opens in a new tab)Xeric specialist
- Nature Hills Nursery (opens in a new tab)Wide selection
- American Meadows (opens in a new tab)Perennials & seeds
- Etsy (opens in a new tab)Small growers
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