Shrubby cinquefoil, Kurile tea
Potentilla fruticosa

Family: Rosaceae

What it is like

An erect shrub. Sometimes it can lie along the ground. It grows about 1 m high. It usually has many branches. The branches are covered with reddish-brown and peeling bark. The leaves are divided into 3-7 leaflets. These are arranged along the stalk. They are 0.6-1.8 cm long by 0.2-0.6 cm wide. They are oblong with a short pointed tip. They are covered with dense silky hairs above but smooth underneath. The flowers are yellow. They usually occur singly and are at the end of branches. There are some varieties described based on the erectness of the plant and the hairiness of the leaves.

Where it is found

It is a cold temperate plant. In Nepal they grow between 2400-4600 m altitude. They grow in rocky grasslands. In China it grows in alpine meadows and grassy mountain slopes. In Canada it is usually on limestone soils. It suits hardiness zones 3-9. In Hobart Botanical Gardens. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Arctic, Asia, Australia, Bhutan, Canada, China, Himalayas, India, Korea, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, North America, Russia, SE Asia, Siberia, Tasmania

How it is used for food

The dried leaves are used as a tea substitute by people living at higher altitudes.

Edible parts

Leaves - tea, flowers, spice

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed or root offshoots.

Its other names

Local names

Bajradanti, Bhairung pate, Bush cinquefoil, Grmasti petoprstnik, Jin lu mei, Kouril-skoi-rchai, Merino, Pama, Penma, Pinjung, Spang-cha, Spang jha

Synonyms

Dasiphora fruticosa (L.) Rydberg; Pentaphylloides fruticosa (L.) O. Schwarz; and others