Fingerbushes are easy-care companions that thrive on their own or as a hedge. We'll show you how to plant correctly.
The cinquefoil (Potentilla fruticosa) is an attractive rose plant, which feels very comfortable in our gardens and requires little maintenance. The ornamental plant is often found in gardens and parks and shows many facets. These differ in terms of the growth form and the color of the flowers. What to consider when planting the cinquefoil can be read below.
Plant Description
The cinquefoil grows upright and, depending on the species, can reach heights of between 20 centimeters and one meter. The shrubs are up to 1.5 meters wide and can therefore be used very well as ground cover. The plant has short shoots with strong branches. The bark of the shrubs is brown-red in color and peels off the wood in long shreds.
The alternately arranged leaves gave the plant its name, as they are reminiscent of small hands. The leaves, which are up to three centimeters long, have three to seven spikes and are a rich green colour. The underside is slightly lighter in color and has intense hair. The leaf coloring in autumn is rather weak.
The cinquefoil is in flower from June to October. The simple cup flowers have a hairy stalk and five petals. The flowers of the wild species appear in a bright yellow. The cultivars that have been bred out also have pink, orange and reddish flowers. The size of the flowers varies between about one centimeter and about three centimeters in the large-flowered species.
| Potentilla fruticosa | |
|---|---|
| Growth Speed: | 10 - 40 cm a year |
| Growth: | 120 - 150 cm |
| Growth: | 100 - 130 cm |
| Root system: | Shallow roots |
| Location: | Sun to partial shade |
| Floor: | normal loose garden soil, avoiding lime |
Distribution
The cinquefoil is widespread in Europe and occurs in Spain, Ireland, Sweden, Russia, Italy or Great Britain. The plant is also native to the USA and Canada. In China, the rose family thrives in forests on meadows and on mountain slopes. Plants can be found up to an altitude of 5,000 meters.
Plant Fingerbush
❖ Find the right location
The cinquefoil can adapt itself to extreme site conditions and also thrive in inhospitable areas. A sunny location suits the plant and will be rewarded with a rich bloom.
» Tip: If you cannot offer a location in full sun, choose one of the red flowering varieties, they prefer partial shade.
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- full sun
- warm
- light
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❖ Choosing the ideal substrate
The cinquefoil can be planted in any conventional garden soil. Waterlogging alone is not tolerated. The plants get along with heavy soil as well as with rather barren and calcareous substrates.
Soils with a lower pH are preferable. If the value is too far in the alkaline range, the cinquefoil could show sluggish flowering and show signs of deficiency in the form of iron chlorosis.
The cinquefoil also shows little joy of growth in sandy soil. The plants tolerate prolonged drought with difficulty and can die off quickly in prolonged drought.
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- fresh
- loose
- nutrient poor
- calcareous
- moist
- pH 5 to 7
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❖ Planting Instructions
1. Choose planting time
2. Determine location
3. Prepare soil
4. Water plant
5. Dig planting hole
6. Insert plant7. Close the planting hole
8. Water the plant
❀ Ideal time for planting
The ideal planting time depends on the condition of the plant. The cinquefoil is usually offered as a container plant. In this case, planting is possible all year round.
Tip: The ground should not be frozen when planting.
For bare-rooted plants, the best time for planting is between September and April. Early spring is considered bestsee planting time. There may also be minus degrees. It is important, however, that you can dig a sufficiently deep planting hole, because the shrubs form quite deep roots.
Tip: Fingerbushes are frost hardy down to -45 degrees and can also be planted in winter.
❀ Prepare soil
Once the right location has been found, the substrate is prepared for later planting. So that the roots grow well, a permeable substrate is an advantage. The substrate should be well loosened. You can make heavy soils more permeable by adding this gravel or sand. A layer of mulch keeps the moisture in the soil longer and is good for the plant, because cinquefoils do not tolerate drought.
You should refrain from fertilizing the soil. If manure or fertilizer is put directly into the planting hole during planting, this will burn the roots. The plant would be hindered in its nutrient uptake and would die in the worst case.
❀ Prepare plant
Before the cinquefoil is planted, the plant should be watered well. For this purpose, the shrub is completely immersed in a vessel with water. If no more air bubbles rise to the surface, the plant has supplied itself with sufficient moisture and the roots can grow more easily.
Check the roots before planting. Broken and bent root parts are cut out. Bare-rooted plants are cut back to about 30 centimeters in the root area.
❀ Dig planting hole
The planting hole should be at least twice the size of the root ball. So dig deep enough. Since the cinquefoil loves moist soil, but does not tolerate waterlogging, a drainage system made of gravel or broken pottery helps the irrigation water drain off better and thus prevents waterlogging.
❀ Plant cinquefoil
The cinquefoil is placed upright in the planting hole and the pit is filled with substrate. Be careful not to twist or snap the roots. Then press down the soil well and provide the plant with sufficient irrigation water.
Tip: If you want to plant the cinquefoil as a hedge, plant three plants per meter.
❀ Improve dry soil
If the soil is particularly dry at the time of planting, the hobby gardener can use a trick. After the cinquefoil has been placed in the planting hole, the earth is not yet complete,but initially only about three-quarters filled. Now dig in the soil well and only fill in the remaining substrate after watering. A layer of mulch on the soil keeps moisture in the soil longer.
Summary
| Activity | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Set Location | A sunny location is a prerequisite for lush flowering. The plants do not tolerate prolonged drought. |
| Prepare the ground | The soil should be loosened well so that the roots can penetrate the soil. The cinquefoil tolerates loose and nutrient-poor soil best. Limescale is also no problem.Waterlogging is not tolerated. |
| planting | The root ball should be watered well before planting. The planting hole should be dug at least twice the circumference of the root ball. The roots must not be damaged during planting.The soil should be well-trodden and adequately watered. |