Potentilla nepalensis

Hook.

Cinquefoil

RosaceaeFruitRoots

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(c) Lauren Gardiner, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), uploaded by Lauren Gardiner

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(c) David Merrick, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

What to Eat

Edible parts: Root, Fruit

The root is edible when cooked and has a starchy character.

Where to Find It

It is a temperate plant. It suits hardiness zones 5-8.

Asia, Australia, Himalayas, India, Nepal, Northeastern India, Pakistan, Slovenia,

Countries: United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Brunei, Bhutan, China, Georgia, Indonesia, Israel, India, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Cambodia, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mongolia, Maldives, Malaysia, Nepal, Oman, Philippines, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovenia, Syria, Thailand, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Taiwan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen

How to Identify

A herb. It grows 30-60 cm high and spreads 30-60 cm wide. It forms clumps. It keeps growing from year to year. The stems are slender and purple and erect. They are leafy and branching. The leaves are oval and have coarse teeth. They are 3-8 cm long and have 5 leaflets. They are on long stalks and grow from a central base. The flowers are pink or red. They are in branching panicles.

How to Grow

A very tolerant and easily grown plant, surviving considerable neglect. It grows best in a well-drained loam, preferring a position in full sun but tolerating shade. Prefers an alkaline soil but tolerates a slightly acid soil. There are many named forms selected for their ornamental value. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer.

Propagation: Sow seed in early spring or autumn in a cold frame. Once large enough to handle, prick seedlings into individual pots and grow on in a greenhouse through their first winter, then plant out in late spring or early summer after the last expected frosts. For division, spring is the best time. Larger divisions can go directly into permanent positions, while smaller ones are better potted up and grown on in light shade in a cold frame until well established before planting out in late spring or early summer.

Medicinal Uses

The root is depurative. The ashes of the plant are mixed with oil and applied to burns.

Other Uses

None known

Wikipedia

Source ↗

Potentilla nepalensis, common name Nepal cinquefoil, is a perennial plant species in the genus Potentilla.

Notes

There are about 500 Potentilla species.

Names & Synonyms

Nepalski petoprstnik

References (7)

Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 487
Cundall, P., (ed.), 2004, Gardening Australia: flora: the gardener's bible. ABC Books. p 1077
Exot. fl. 2: t. 88. 1824
Hibbert, M., 2002, The Aussie Plant Finder 2002, Florilegium. p 239
http://www.botanic-gardens-ljubljana.com/en/plants
Patiri, B. & Borah, A., 2007, Wild Edible Plants of Assam. Geethaki Publishers. p 48
Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/