Potentilla recta Warrenii - Cinquefoil

Potentilla recta 'Warrenii' is a classic form of upright cinquefoil with grey-green, silky and highly dissected basal foliage, topped with inflorescences of large, spreading, bright yellow flowers. This easy-to-grow perennial brightens up gardens and balconies throughout the summer! It prefers ordinary, calcareous soils and sunny locations. It is a hardy, robust plant that thrives in well-drained to very dry soil. It fits perfectly into 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 with a woody base, native to dry areas of southern and central Europe, western Asia, and Algeria. It can be found growing wild on poor, limestone or sandy soil. It is worth noting that this species seems to tolerate partial shade better than most cinquefoils.

The 'Warrenii' cultivar develops upright and highly branched stems, forming a rounded and dense clump, measuring about 60 cm (24 in) in height and 50 cm (20 in) in width. Its foliage is persistent to varying degrees in winter, depending on the climate. With a lovely soft grey-green colour, it consists of leaves divided into 5 to 7 rectangular, strongly toothed leaflets, arranged alternately on the stems. The entire plant is covered with numerous small rough hairs and is sometimes slightly sticky. Flowering occurs from June to August. The flowers appear at the top of the branched stems, grouped in small clusters. They resemble small wild roses with 5 petals, 3 cm (1 in) in diameter, displaying a very bright canary-yellow colour.

The upright Warrenii cinquefoil is an adorable rock garden or border plant. The canary-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 Onagre Sunset Boulevard; or the red of Crocosmia Hellfire. It can also be associated with small grasses such as Pennisetum orientale, Heliotrichon (oat grass) and fescues, or mixed with simple perennials like cupid's dart (Catananche) and yarrows (Achillea Feurland) to create colourful and charming scenes.

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