Potentilla Bella Bellissima® Cinquefoil

A Bloomin' Easy® variety, Bella Bellissima® is a small, bushy deciduous shrub that grows 2 to 3 feet tall and wide. This tidy, floriferous little bush has a very long bloom season—from spring to fall—blooming and reblooming continuously, becoming blanketed in rich pink blooms, with the color varying depending on growing conditions. Pollinator-friendly, the flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds and support specialized bees.

A Potentilla fruticosa, commonly called potentilla, shrubby potentilla, shrubby cinquefoil, or hardhack, Bella Bellissima has a compact, rounded, mounding habit and a slow growth rate. Bella Bellissima is a natural as a ground cover in a butterfly or pollinator garden. It's a gorgeous specimen in a small garden or container but is shown to best effect when planted in groups or massed in mixed beds and borders.

Shrubby potentilla grows easily in locations with 6 or more hours of sunshine each day and with well-draining to dry soils having an alkaline pH, but it adapts to most soils if they drain well. It tolerates some shade but grows and flowers best in full sun. Bella Bellissima is a northern variety that is very cold hardy, thriving in Zones 3-6, tolerating temperatures down to -50°F (-46°C). The shrub is deer resistant and pet friendly.

A native plant, potentilla is indigenous to North America. Native plants are not only beautiful but also environmentally friendly. Naturally adapted to the climate and soil conditions of the region, they thrive without fertilizers or extra watering, once established. They also act as natural pest controls, reducing the need for pesticides in the garden. Landscaping with native plants promotes biodiversity and provides shelter and quality food for wildlife and pollinators, bringing gardens to life.