Potentilla hippiana aka Woolly Cinquefoil

Potentilla hippiana, or woolly cinquefoil, belongs to the rose family, Rosaceae. RHS also calls it Colorado silvery cinquefoil. This perennial comes from North America. Kew places its native range from subarctic America to northern Mexico. Records include southern Canada and several central and western US states. It is not native to Britain or Ireland.

The plant grows to about 2 feet [0.6 metres] tall. In the wild, it grows in dry, open grassland and sagebrush. It also occurs among junipers and in pine woods. These sites include foothills and lower mountain slopes. Some wild sites have salty soil. Its flowering season runs from July to August. Each flower has both male and female organs. Insects pollinate the flowers, and the plant is self-fertile.

In gardens, woolly cinquefoil suits beds with soil that drains well. PFAF describes it as easy to grow in loam. It prefers full sun but will accept some shade. Sandy soil and clay are also suitable when drainage is good. It favours alkaline soil but can accept mildly acid conditions. It can also grow in soil with some salt. Despite its dry wild habitats, PFAF lists moist soil as its preference. PFAF gives USDA hardiness zones 5–9 and UK zone 6.

Seeds and division both offer ways to raise new plants. Sow seed in a cold frame in early spring or autumn. Move seedlings into separate pots once they are large enough. Keep them in a greenhouse through their first winter. Plant them outside in late spring or early summer, after frosts. Divide plants in spring. Large pieces can go straight into their final beds. Pot smaller pieces and keep them in light shade until established. PFAF does not flag this species as weedy.

PFAF records no known food use or other non-medicinal use. It also lists no known hazards, which does not prove safety. Reported medicinal uses include washes for burns and leaf poultices for injuries. Other records describe dried plant powder applied to sores. An infusion has also been used to hasten childbirth. These are records of use, not proof of safe treatment. The reported effect on childbirth calls for caution during pregnancy.