Plant Data Sheet

Image © 2004, Ben Legler

 

Species

Dasiphora floribunda (Potentilla fruticosa, Pentaphylloides) Shrubby cinquefoil.4

 

Range

Shrubby cinquefoil grows from Alaska12 to New Foundland and southward to the middle of the USA, south along the mountains to California and New Mexico border and eastward to the Atlantic coast. Shrubby cinquefoil grows throughout northern latitudes and high elevations of Europe and Asia.6,7,11,12

 

Climate, elevation

Foothills to subalpine13

 

Local occurrence

West and East of the Cascades10

 

Habitat preferences

Meadows, moist rocky slopes4

 

Plant strategy type/successional stage

Shrubby cinquefoil is a colonizer and is an early seral species in many forest habitats7

 

Associated species

Potentilla, Carex, Penstemon, Elymus10

 

May be collected as

Seed, division or stem cutting9

 

Collection restrictions or guidelines

Flowering begins in June, and can continue until temperatures are below freezing. Seeds mature in August to September.6,7,8
Summer softwood stem cutting collected in June and July.2

 

Seed germination

Seeds were sown outdoors to undergo a 5 month cold moist stratification. Seeds from lower elevation sources also germinate to high percentages using a 90 day cold moist stratification in a refrigerator. Stratification is used for high elevation seed sources.2

 

Seed life

Seed longevity is unknown2

 

Recommended seed storage conditions

Seeds are collected in paper bags and kept in a well ventilated drying shed prior to cleaning.2

 

Propagation recommendations

The broad ecological amplitude and circumboreal distribution of this species is indicative of its ease of propagation, establishment, and ability to withstand severe environmental conditions.2

 

Soil or medium requirements

6:1:1 milled spaghnum peat, perlite2

 

Installation form

1 gallon pots2

 

Recommended planting density

Unknown

 

Care requirements after installed

Potentillas prefer well-drained, reasonably rich soil, but will tolerate clay, rocky, or slightly alkaline soils as well. They are a quite durable plant, tolerating drought, flooding, extreme cold, and will easily survive transplanting.3

 

Normal rate of growth or spread; lifespan

Root tight 3L (1 gallon) containers can be produced in 1 year from cuttings2

A decidious Shrub growing to 1.2m by 1.2m at a medium rate.14

 

Sources cited

[1]http://www.botany.wisc.edu/garden/db/speciesdetail.asp?genus=Potentilla&species=fruticosa 

2Wick, Dale; Johnson, Kathy; Evans, Jeff; Luna, Tara. 2001. Propagation protocol for vegetative production of container Dasiphora floribunda Kartesz., comb., nov. ined. plants (3L containers); Glacier National Park, West Glacier, Montana. In: Native Plant Network. URL: http://www.nativeplantnetwork.org (accessed 17 April 2006).

3http://www.thegardenhelper.com/Potentilla.htm

4Turner, Mark and Phyllis Gustafson. 2006. Wildflowers of the Pacific Northwest. Oregon: Timber Press, p231.

5http://www.usask.ca/agriculture/plantsci/classes/range/potentilla.html

6Davidson, C.G. and L.M. Lenz. 1989. Experimental taxonomy of Potentilla fruiticosa. Can. J. Bot. 67: 3520-3528.

7Elkington, T.T. and S.R., J.Wood. 1963. Potentilla fruticosa L. J. Ecol. 51:769-781.

8USDA Forest Service. 1937. Range plants handbook. , Dover edition. Washington, DC

9http://www.botany.wisc.edu/garden/db/speciesdetail.asp?genus=Potentilla&species=fruticosa

10http://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection.php

11Klackenberg, J. 1983. The holarctic complex Potentilla fruticosa (Rosasceae). Nord. J. Bot. 3: 181-191.

12Orloci, L. and W. Stanek. 1979. Vegetation survey of the Alaska Highway, Yukon Territory: Types and gradients. Vegetatio 41:1-56.

13http://www.wnps.org/plants/potentilla_fruticosa.html

14http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Potentilla+fruticosa

 

Plant data compiled by Scott Havill  4/19/2006