Potentilla crantzii aka Alpine Cinquefoil

Potentilla crantzii is a small alpine perennial in the rose family. Gardeners know it as alpine cinquefoil or Crantz cinquefoil. Its native range spans Europe, the Russian Far East, and the western Himalaya. It also grows wild from subarctic America to eastern Canada. The RHS lists it as native to Britain and Ireland. Kew places this species in the temperate climate zone.

This plant stays close to the ground and forms low clumps. The RHS gives a height of about 0.33 feet (0.1 metres). Chicago Botanic Garden describes its form as creeping. Its dark green leaves have a palm-like shape. The foliage is deciduous, rather than evergreen. These traits suit its use as a low ground cover. The RHS gives a maturity time of two to five years. Neither profile gives a mature spread.

The flowers have five petals and a bright golden-yellow colour. An orange mark sits at the base of the petals. The RHS describes the blooms as large for this small plant. It gives the main flowering season as May to July. Chicago Botanic Garden lists a wider window, from March through August. The two sources therefore differ on the length of bloom. Both agree that the flowers are yellow.

Choose a site in full sun with soil that drains well. The RHS recommends moist soil, while Chicago lists dry conditions. These accounts support a range from dry to moist soil. The RHS lists chalk, clay, loam, and sand as suitable. It also accepts acid, neutral, and alkaline soil. Sites may be exposed or sheltered, with any aspect. The RHS rates its UK hardiness as H6. Chicago Botanic Garden lists USDA zones 3–7. These ratings describe hardiness under different regional systems.

Use this low plant in rock gardens, borders, or edging. The RHS also suggests gravel gardens, banks, and slopes. Its ground-cover role suits spaces where low growth is useful. Chicago Botanic Garden lists resistance to deer. The RHS reports few pest problems but warns of honey fungus. It says the plant needs no pruning. Growers can raise it from seed or semi-hardwood cuttings. The supplied accounts give no species-level guidance on eating it. They also give no toxicity assessment, so neither safety nor edibility can be established here.