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Key characteristics

Family: Rosaceae
Height: 2 to 4 feet
Width: 3 to 5 feet
Flower color: Pure white five petaled flowers with yellow centers
Foliage color: Fine textured blue green to gray green pinnate leaves with small oval leaflets
Bloom time: Late spring to fall; often May to September
Light: Full sun
Water: Low to average well drained soil; drought tolerant once established
Maintenance: Low; prune in early spring to maintain shape and encourage vigorous new growth
Growing zone: USDA zones 2 to 7
Wildlife: Bees butterflies and other pollinating insects

Shrubs

Potentilla fruticosa 'Abbotswood'

Abbotswood Shrubby Cinquefoil

Potentilla fruticosa 'Abbotswood' produces crisp white flowers from late spring through early fall, each bloom opening with five rounded petals surrounding a soft yellow center. The blossoms appear continuously along the stems, providing a long season of color. Finely divided leaves form soft, gray-green foliage composed of small leaflets that create a light, textured canopy across the plant.

This cultivar traces its heritage to Potentilla fruticosa native to northern regions of North America, Europe, and Asia.

Light

Full sun

Water

Low to average well drained soil; drought tolerant once established

Bloom time

Late spring to fall; often May to September

Find this plant

Works well in

Sun Gardens
Borders
Waterwise Gardens
Pollinator Gardens

Companion plants

Irises · Italian buckthorn · Sneezeweed · Fountain grass · Rock cress · Flowering quince

Design tip

‘Abbotswood’ is a good choice when you want plenty of flowers without a heavy or formal look. Its white blooms continue for months, while the fine gray-green foliage gives the shrub a soft, airy appearance that blends easily into mixed plantings.