The non-poisonous cinquefoil is not only known as a hard-to-fight weed. Many species and varieties are even planted in gardens as ornamental plants. What about the winter hardiness of these plants?
Is cinquefoil hardy and frost-proof?
Most cinquefoil species are hardy and can tolerate frost down to -20 °C, some even down to -45 °C. They mainly come from Europe and generally do not require winter protection; only pruning is recommended for deciduous species.
All species tolerate frost
There are numerous more or less common species of cinquefoil. Most of them are low-growing and partly ground-covering plants that have typically fingered foliage and small flowers in summer.
The following species can tolerate frost down to -29 °C in protected locations (up to -20 °C in unprotected locations).
- Blood-red cinquefoil (Potentilla atrosanguinea)
- Bloodroot (Potentilla tormentilla)
- Spring cinquefoil (Potentilla neumanniana)
- Golden cinquefoil (Potentilla aurea)
- White cinquefoil (Potentilla alba)
- Dwarf cinquefoil (Potentillabraunana)
- Hill cinquefoil (Potentilla collina)
- Gray cinquefoil (Potentilla inclinata)
- Red cinquefoil (Potentilla heptaphylla)
These species are also considered sufficiently frost hardy for our latitudes:
- Prostrate cinquefoil (Potentilla anglica)
- Sand cinquefoil (Potentilla incana)
- Silver cinquefoil (Potentilla argentea)
- Calme rock cinquefoil (Potentilla caulescens)
- Glacier cinquefoil (Potentilla frigida)
- Small-flowered cinquefoil (Potentilla micrantha)
- Medium cinquefoil (Potentilla intermedia)
- Norwegian cinquefoil (Potentilla norvegica)
- Tall cinquefoil (Potentilla recta)
- Rock cinquefoil (Potentilla rupestris)
The crab bush – an enviable frost hardiness
Of these perennials, the crab stands out, which also belongs to the crab herbs, although it is called a 'shrub'. The botanical name is Potentilla fruticosa and it surprises with its enormous winter hardiness of -45 °C! It is almost unlikely that it will suffer frost damage - regardless of the location.
Most cinquefoil species come from Europe
All cinquefoil species not only have excellent frost hardiness in common. Another thing they have in common is that they all find their home in Europe or parts of Europe. They also occur in many other areas of the world, such as Asia and North Africa.
Before winter – pruning
Some crab herbs should be cut back to just above the ground before the onset of winter. These include the deciduous species. The wintergreen to evergreen species do not need pruning. With their leaves they protect themselves from moisture caused by snow and ice in winter.
Tip
Cinquefoil herbs can easily be overwintered outside on the balcony even in pots. You should only cover the planter with fleece when temperatures fall below -10 °C.