Potentilla fruticosa 'Red Joker'

Common name: Shrubby cinquefoil

Description: Potentilla fruticosa 'Red Joker' is a distinctive compact deciduous shrub producing a long succession of semi-double to double flowers in a warm, eye-catching red-to-orange-red from late spring through summer and into autumn. The flower colour is best and most vivid in cooler temperatures, making it a particularly good performer in spring and autumn when reds tend to fade in other plants. Its naturally tidy, mounded habit requires minimal pruning and it tolerates a range of soils and exposures, making it an easy and rewarding choice for a sunny border or mixed planting.

Other benefits: unusual red flower colour for the genus, long flowering season, drought tolerant, low maintenance, compact habit

Wildlife attraction: bees and butterflies visit the flowers throughout summer and autumn

Height & spread (approx.) at 10 years: 0.7m x 1m

Position: full sun to partial shade; best flower colour in full sun during cooler seasons

Soil pH: neutral to slightly alkaline; adaptable to sandy, chalky, and clay soils

Moisture: low to moderate; drought tolerant once established; prefers well-drained conditions

Winter hardiness: fully hardy to approximately -25°C throughout the UK