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Potentilla alba (White Cinquefoil)

White-Flowered Cinquefoil, White Cinquefoil, Cinquefoil

Potentilla alba, White-Flowered Cinquefoil, White Cinquefoil, White Potentilla, White Flowers
Potentilla alba, White-Flowered Cinquefoil, White Cinquefoil, White Potentilla, White Flowers

Potentilla alba (White Cinquefoil) is a handsome perennial groundcover forming a low mound of glossy gray-green leaves adorned with 5 palmate leaflets and pure white flowers in spring to early summer. Borne in loose clusters above the foliage, the orange-eyed, rose-like blossoms may bloom again in the fall. White Cinquefoil is well suited for the rock garden or the sunny border.

  • Grows up to 3-5 in. tall (7-12 cm) and 6-12 in. wide (15-30 cm). Will reseed in the garden where happy.
  • Performs best in full sun or light shade, in average, moist, well-drained soils. Drought resistant once established.
  • Virtually pest and disease free, it is also deer resistant.
  • Cinquefoil is very adaptable and an excellent choice for border fronts, cottage gardens, or rock gardens. Great as a groundcover too.
  • Native to Central, Southern, and Eastern Europe.

Requirements

Hardiness 5 - 8
Heat Zones 3 - 8
Plant Type Perennials
Plant Family Rosaceae
Genus Potentilla
Common names Cinquefoil
Exposure Full Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Mid, Late)
Summer (Early)
Height 3" - 5"
(8cm - 13cm)
Spread 6" - 1'
(15cm - 30cm)
Spacing 10" - 12"
(25cm - 30cm)
Maintenance Low
Water Needs Average
Soil Type Chalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained
Characteristics Showy
Native Plants United Kingdom
Tolerance Drought, Deer
Garden Uses Beds And Borders, Ground Covers
Garden Styles Informal and Cottage, Gravel and Rock Garden
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Alternative Plants to Consider

Drymocallis arguta (Tall Cinquefoil)
Potentilla fruticosa (Shrubby Cinquefoil)
Potentilla thurberi ‘Monarch’s Velvet’ (Scarlet Cinquefoil)
Potentilla fruticosa ‘Daydawn’ (Shrubby Cinquefoil)
Potentilla recta ‘Warrenii’ (Sulphur Cinquefoil)
Potentilla atrosanguinea var. argyrophylla ‘Scarlet Starlit’ (Himalayan Cinquefoil)

Find In One of Our Guides or Gardens

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Native Plant Alternatives to Potentilla recta (Sulphur Cinquefoil)
While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.
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Requirements

Hardiness 5 - 8
Heat Zones 3 - 8
Plant Type Perennials
Plant Family Rosaceae
Genus Potentilla
Common names Cinquefoil
Exposure Full Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Mid, Late)
Summer (Early)
Height 3" - 5"
(8cm - 13cm)
Spread 6" - 1'
(15cm - 30cm)
Spacing 10" - 12"
(25cm - 30cm)
Maintenance Low
Water Needs Average
Soil Type Chalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained
Characteristics Showy
Native Plants United Kingdom
Tolerance Drought, Deer
Garden Uses Beds And Borders, Ground Covers
Garden Styles Informal and Cottage, Gravel and Rock Garden
How Many Plants
Do I Need?
Not sure which Potentilla (Cinquefoil) to pick?
Compare Now

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