| Description | Abbotswood Potentilla (Potentilla fruticosa) is an improved white flowering Potentilla. |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | (po-ten-TIL-a)(fro-ti-KO-sa) |
| Plant Type | Shrubs Deciduous, Site author's observations |
| Hardiness Zone | 3-7 |
| Sunlight | full, will tolerate some shade, but flower production may be reduced |
| Moisture | average, tolerates moist (not wet) areas, will show stress in draught conditions and benefits from some additional water at these times |
| Soil & Site | average |
| Flowers | white, single |
| Fruit | achene |
| Leaves | Has dark green to bluish green leaves. |
| Dimensions | 2 by 3-4 feet (HS) |
| Maintenance | Prune Potentilla plants yearly or every other year, ideally in a three-year cycle, to avoid scraggly growth and fewer flowers. There are three pruning methods: **Method #1:** Using hedge shears to trim the plant into an oddly shaped geometric figure. This method is the least desirable, as it does little to benefit the plant and has minimal impact on increasing flower production. **Method #2:** Cutting the shrub close to the ground, leaving about 3-6 inches of stem. Although this may seem harsh, a healthy shrub will quickly regrow. This is a straightforward and effective method. **Method #3:** Removing the old, gnarly stems as close to the ground as possible, using pruners. This method involves cutting the shrub back by about one-third to one-half while shaping it to resemble its natural form. The earlier this is done in the spring, the sooner the plant will bloom. |
| Propagation | softwood cuttings |
| Cultivar Origin | Introduced in the mid-20th century by Fred Tustin a gardener at Abbotswood House, Gloucestershire, UK. |
| Misc Facts | The genus name, from the Latin potens, meaning 'powerful,' refers to the plant's reputed medicinal properties. Fruticosa means shrublike. AKA: Shrubby Cinquefoil |
| Author's Notes | I have used many dozens of this Potentilla in my landscape jobs over the past 25 years. Abbotswood has proven to be tough and a very reliable, prolific bloomer. |
| Notes & Reference | #01-Manual of Woody Landscape Plants (Michael Dirr), #274-Site Authors' observations and growing experiences of different Potentilla |
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