Contents
- General description of the Nepalese cinquefoil
- Popular varieties of Nepalese Potentilla
- Application in landscape design
- How does the Nepalese cinquefoil reproduce?
- Planting and caring for the Nepalese cinquefoil
- Planting Nepalese cinquefoil in open ground
- Aftercare (watering, top dressing, loosening, mulching, pruning, preparation for winter)
- Pests and diseases
- Conclusion
For most gardeners, a beautifully flowering perennial plant is ideal, which, at the same time, is easily propagated by seeds and does not require special care, while maintaining the rather harsh conditions of the winter. It is safe to say that a plant such as Nepalese cinquefoil is closest to the requirements of this ideal image.
General description of the Nepalese cinquefoil
Potentilla Nepalese belongs to the genus Potentilla, which in turn is part of the rose family. The genus Potentilla is one of the most numerous in terms of the number of species included in it, more than 300.
Plants represent a wide variety of life forms: from annuals and biennials to perennials, from ground cover creeping grasses to voluminous shrubs, up to 1,5 meters high with woody stems. Some of the wild species of cinquefoil are of significant medicinal value. No wonder the Latin name of the genus (Potentilla) is translated as “power”, “strength”.
But not so many species are used in culture, and among them, Nepalese Potentilla is distinguished by its special charm. It is native to the Western Himalayas and Nepal. Hence the comparative unpretentiousness of plants to growing conditions. In the article below, you can find not only a description of different hybrid varieties of Nepalese Potentilla with a photo, but also information about planting and caring for this interesting and undemanding plant.
This variety of cinquefoil is a herbaceous perennial, the average height of which varies from 30 to 50 cm. The purple-colored stems grow straight and branch out quite strongly. They are covered with interesting palm-shaped leaves that really resemble the paw of some outlandish animal and can reach a length of 15 cm.
On the other hand, experienced gardeners find some similarities between the leaves of cinquefoil and strawberries, although the former are larger than the latter. No wonder both of these plants belong to the same family.
Quite large (up to 3 cm in diameter) five-petal, most often solitary flowers bloom on the tops of the shoots from June to August. Petals are heart-shaped or obovate. They come in all shades of pink or reddish-orange.
Plants have good winter hardiness and, as a rule, do not need shelter for the winter.
Popular varieties of Nepalese Potentilla
In culture, this type of cinquefoil has been used since 1820. Since that time, many interesting and attractive hybrid varieties have appeared, the most popular of which are described below. One should not just confuse Nepalese cinquefoil plants with its shrubby sister, which is also often used in gardening. In any case, Nepalese cinquefoil is a purely herbaceous plant, its shoots never become woody, and its height does not exceed 50 cm.
Varieties of this variety of cinquefoil practically do not differ from each other in care. The main features are the different colors of the flower petals and the timing of flowering.
Miss Wilmont
It so happened that the variety of Potentilla Nepalese Miss Wilmott (Miss Wilmott), became the most popular, and this is not at all surprising if you look at his photo.
The flowers have such a rich pink hue that it can even be compared with cherry. In the middle of each flower, a darker eye is clearly distinguished, due to which the color becomes even more expressive.
The variety has a more lush and long flowering than other varieties. At the same time, the cultivation and care of Miss Wilmott’s Potentilla is no different. These flowers are winter-hardy and very unpretentious.
Legend
In a variety with such a poetic name, the flowers traditionally have a darker center, almost burgundy. At the same time, the petals are characterized by a thick, soft pink hue, which changes rather sharply first to carmine red and only then turns into a completely dark eye.
Growing Potentilla of the Nepalese legend is not particularly difficult, and the photo shows one of the most common manufacturing companies from which you can buy seeds of these flowers.
fire flame
Potentilla flowers of the Nepalese fiery flame are distinguished by a unique color. The dark center, combining crimson and red shades, occupies most of the flower. And against the background of soft vanilla petals with pink tints, it seems that it burns with a bright flame.
Flowering of this variety begins in July and lasts until September. Although the plants themselves are not large, they grow up to 40 cm in height, they look very impressive.
Ron McBees (RON MC BEATH)
The color of the flower of this variety is slightly reminiscent of Miss Wilmott Potentilla. Intense pink, almost cherry hue of the petals turns into a darker center, shaped like an asterisk.
But, as follows from the description of the variety, the height of the Nepalese cinquefoil Ron Mak Bis differs in the smallest sizes, reaches only 30 cm. But the flowering is very plentiful and long, it can last from May to September.
Flower carpet
The flowers of this variety have a coral hue with a traditional darker center. The very name of the variety characterizes the flowering period, which is long in time and in the number of flowers formed – from mid-June to mid-September.
It adapts well to almost any soil, but requires a sunny location for such abundant flowering.
Floris
Another of the popular varieties of Nepalese cinquefoil, blooming during June-July. Petals have a light coral hue that fades to an orange-red center.
The bushes of this variety are medium in size, grow up to 50 cm.
Roxana
The flowers of this variety look no less attractive than other varieties of Potentilla. The salmon-orange shade of the petals is distinguished by lighter, creamy tints. A lot of veins come from the dark center, beautifully streaked with light petals.
Application in landscape design
In the landscape design of the site, the Nepalese Potentilla looks very expressive in a single planting, thanks to the original coloring of the flowers, especially if you create a carpet from several of its varieties of different colors, for example, Miss Wilmott, Roxanne and Legend. She will have to court on large alpine hills, in gardens among stones.
Borders of Potentilla plants planted in a row will also look great, which can be used to enclose flower beds or paths.
But these plants are very harmoniously combined with other perennials, creating bright spots in mixborders. They will stand out against the background of relatively undersized flowers, such as veronica and bluebells. And they will create a bright carpet that goes well with medium-sized flowers, such as leucanthemum, lupins, cornflowers.
How does the Nepalese cinquefoil reproduce?
Potentilla Nepalese can be propagated quite easily by almost any of the known methods.
Seminal
Potentilla seeds can be sown at almost any time. If we are talking about sowing indoors, then throughout the year, if it is possible to provide enough light to young plants. Plants bloom only the next year after sowing, but the plants are guaranteed to be strong, healthy and you can immediately make a whole flower meadow from them.
Judging by the reviews of gardeners, the propagation of Nepalese Potentilla seeds is not at all difficult. Seeds germinate well even when sown in open ground and powerful flowering plants quickly develop from them.
By dividing the bush
This method of reproduction can be applied to Potentilla bushes that have lived in one place for at least 4 years. Bushes are dug up in warm weather in spring or autumn and divided into several parts with a sharp knife. So that each part contains a certain amount of roots and buds (leaves).
They are planted immediately after separation to a new place, observing an interval between plantings of 25-40 cm.
Layers
Reproduction by layering is carried out in mid-summer, in July or August. To do this, choose a strong and healthy shoot that grows in close proximity to the surface of the earth. It is slightly cut with a sharp knife. Then they tilt it to the ground, fix it in such a position that the incision is sprinkled with soil. Usually, by autumn, the shoot has time to grow roots at the incision site. Then it is separated and immediately planted in light and loose soil.
Cuttings
Rooting cuttings can be collected from matured last year’s Potentilla shoots throughout the summer. Usually they are cut into 9-10 cm long. The lower leaves are removed, leaving only a few in the upper part of the shoot. The lowest part of the cutting is treated with phytohormones and planted in light, loose soil. You can plant them for rooting in small containers, and if there are a lot of cuttings, they are immediately placed in the soil in a shady place of the site. From above, it is desirable to cover them with polyethylene on arcs or plastic bottles to create a greenhouse effect of high humidity. The soil under them must be kept constantly wet. And if buds form on the cuttings during rooting, then they need to be removed. In autumn, plants with roots that have grown stronger can be planted in a permanent place.
Planting and caring for the Nepalese cinquefoil
Nepalese cinquefoil is a very unpretentious and undemanding plant. However, in order for it to become a worthy decoration of the site, it is necessary to understand and fulfill all its basic preferences.
How to sow Nepalese Potentilla for seedlings (terms, rules)
Nepalese Potentilla seeds collected or bought in a store retain good germination for 2-2,5 years.
Potentilla can be grown from seedlings literally throughout the year. The most convenient time is the period from February to April, since as a result, the grown plants can already be transplanted this season (in August-September) into the open ground to the chosen permanent place of growth.
Since the seeds of Potentilla are small in size, they are sown superficially on moist soil and lightly sprinkled with fine sand on top. In room conditions at a temperature of + 20-22 ° C, it is advisable to cover the sown seeds with glass or polyethylene to maintain the required humidity. After about 12-15 days, the first shoots should appear.
During this period, care for young sprouts of Potentilla is reduced to placing them in a bright, cool place with a temperature of about + 18 ° C and moderate watering 2-3 times a week.
Picking Nepalese cinquefoil
The first 3-6 weeks seedlings develop very slowly. It seems that they are frozen in place and do not grow at all. After 4-5 weeks of development, when the first true leaves appear, young sprouts of Potentilla can be picked out in separate containers. If this is done carefully, trying to minimize the impact on microscopic roots, then the plants will not only not stop growing, but will begin to develop at a faster rate.
When picking, it is important to take into account the acidic and mechanical composition of the soil. Due to its unpretentiousness, cinquefoil will grow on almost any soil, but will not show the abundant and long flowering that it is capable of under favorable conditions. Plants prefer light and loose soils with a neutral or even slightly slightly alkaline reaction.
When warm weather is established, seedlings at the age of 2-2,5 months can already be planted in a permanent place in open ground.
Care of seedlings
Potentilla seedlings will not require any special care. Plants only need to be watered regularly, trying not to overdo it with the amount of moisture. After two months, young plants can be fed with a highly diluted complex fertilizer.
Planting Nepalese cinquefoil in open ground
Potentilla plants can be planted in open ground at any warm time of the year, from May to September inclusive. Moreover, transplanting bushes, if necessary, is also possible, both in spring and in autumn after flowering.
Despite the fact that plants are able to exist in partial shade, this choice will not be the best for their full development. Potentilla Nepalese is able to show itself in all its glory only in an area well lit by the sun. After all, if you look closely at a flowering plant, it will become clearly visible that in cloudy and non-sunny weather, the flowers do not even fully open.
In terms of soil preparation, it is necessary to follow the drainage. Water should not stagnate at the place of future landing.
The very planting of Potentilla plants will not cause any difficulties even for novice gardeners. Plants are planted in holes specially dug and spilled with water, keeping a distance of 20-30 cm between them.
Aftercare (watering, top dressing, loosening, mulching, pruning, preparation for winter)
If the weather is dry and hot, then Potentilla needs watering 2-3 times a week. For 1 sq. a meter of plantings consumes about 10 liters of water.
In rainy and cloudy weather, watering of plants should be limited, since the root system of flowers may suffer from excessive moisture.
Three times during the entire growing season, Potentilla can be fed with organic fertilizers. It is very good to add an ash solution to them. Fertilizing is best timed to coincide with the following phases of plant development:
- in early spring, immediately after the main snow cover melts;
- around mid-May, at the time of the formation of the first buds on the plant;
- after flowering – in August or September.
Instead of loosening the soil and removing weeds under the cinquefoil, it is more expedient to use mulching with any organic matter: hay, straw, rotted sawdust. This can be done both in spring and throughout the growing season.
Only wilted, dried and diseased shoots are cut from plants. Regular removal of wilted flowers promotes longer flowering.
Potentilla Nepalese flower tolerates almost any frost well. Bushes should be protected only in regions where in winter there are frosts above -25 ° C and thaws to zero and above at the same time. In this case, a good layer of mulch or coniferous spruce branches can help.
Pests and diseases
In general, plants are rarely attacked by parasites and pathogens.
But with an excess of moisture, Nepalese Potentilla plants can be affected by fungal diseases: rust, powdery mildew or brown spot. For processing, Bordeaux liquid or any systemic fungicide is used.
Of the pests, scoops usually show the greatest activity, which are easy to fight by spraying with any insecticide: Fitoverm, Fufanon and others.
Conclusion
Potentilla Nepalese is a very unpretentious perennial flowering plant that will be a welcome guest in almost any area. It gets along well with any flowers, and it may well act as a soloist, decorating a flower bed or border.
