Potentilla recta var. sulphurea - Cinquefoil

Potentilla recta var. sulphurea is a delightful form of upright cinquefoil with pale yellow flowers, a lovely little perennial of our dry and sandy short grass meadows that does not mind the heat. It forms a small bushy clump covered with grey-green foliage on which a multitude of small cups of soft and bright yellow flowers bloom throughout the summer; a colour that does not assault the eye and harmonises with many other blooms. It is a hardy, robust plant, and easy to grow in well-drained to very dry soil, where it will self-seed without becoming invasive. It will find its rightful place in a wild garden, a flower border or an unpretentious bed.

Potentilla recta (synonyms Potentilla adriatica, Potentilla crassa) belongs to the Rosaceae family. It is a herbaceous perennial plant from its stump, native to dry locations in southern and central Europe, western Asia, and Algeria. It can be found growing on poor, calcareous or sandy soil. Note that this species seems to tolerate partial shade better than most cinquefoils.

It develops upright and highly branched stems that form a clump measuring about 40-50 cm (16-20 in) in all directions. Its foliage is more or less persistent in winter, depending on the climate. Of a pretty soft grey-green colour, it is composed of leaves divided into 5 to 7 strongly toothed rectangular leaflets, arranged alternately on the stems. The whole plant is covered with numerous small rough hairs and is sometimes slightly sticky. Flowering takes place from May to July in southern regions, and from June to September further north. The flowers appear at the top of the branched stems, assembled in small clusters. They resemble small wild roses with 5 petals measuring 2-3 cm (1 in) in diameter, sporting a very soft sulphur-yellow colour. The base of the petals is tinged with a brighter yellow. This perennial self-seeds spontaneously in light soil.

Potentilla recta sulphurea is a lovely rock garden or border plant. The pastel-yellow colour of its flowers harmonises with many other colours in the garden: the blue flowers of cornflowers, perennial geraniums or globe thistles; the beautiful orange of Evening Primrose Sunset Boulevard; or the red of Crocosmia Hellfire. It can also be associated with small grasses like Oriental fountain grass, Heliotrichon (oats) and fescues, or mixed with simple perennials like love-in-a-mist (Catananche) and yarrow (Achillea Feurland) to create colourful and charming scenes.