Potentilla Hyparctica Subsp. Nana

This dwarf Arctic cinquefoil forms a minute, ground-hugging cushion of divided green leaves and short stems of bright yellow, five-petalled flowers. The blooms appear in the brief northern summer and are large in proportion to the plant, creating vivid colour above tundra turf and gravel. Potentilla hyparctica is distributed through Arctic and subarctic regions, where it survives intense frost, wind and long snow cover. The nana form is especially compact and is best appreciated in a cool trough or alpine house with gritty humus, reliable moisture and protection from summer heat.