Description of Potentilla hippiana (Colorado Silvery Cinquefoil)

Potentilla hippiana is Colorado silvery cinquefoil, a low plant with silver-green leaves and small yellow flowers. It’s not a true marginal, but it can work at the driest edge of a bog garden where soil stays moist rather than wet.

Appearance

It forms a compact clump with finely divided, silvery leaves. In summer it produces small yellow flowers on short stems. It stays low, often 20 to 30cm, and has a tidy, mounded habit.

Care Guide

It prefers lighter, free-draining soil than most bog plants, so place it carefully.

• Sun: Full sun is best.
• Soil: Moist but well-draining soil. Add grit if your bog edge is heavy and sour.
• Water: Keep it lightly moist, but avoid waterlogging.
• Feeding: Minimal. A light spring feed is enough.
• Tidy up: Remove spent stems and trim to keep it compact.

If your bog garden is clay-heavy and permanently wet, this one may struggle. It fits better on raised edges or nearby damp beds.

Suitability for Bog Garden

This is best used as a transition plant between the bog and a normal border. Put it on the top edge where it gets sun and doesn’t sit in saturated compost.

It can add a different texture, especially next to darker leaves, but keep it away from the wet centre.

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