Potentilla 'Red Ace'

Description and Characteristics

Potentilla fruticosa 'Red Ace' is a compact, deciduous flowering shrub cherished for its vibrant red-orange blooms, fine-textured foliage, and incredibly long flowering season. A popular cultivar of Potentilla fruticosa (Shrubby Cinquefoil), ‘Red Ace’ offers a brilliant splash of colour from late spring through autumn, making it a favourite for borders, hedging, and containers.

The plant forms a dense, rounded mound of fern-like green leaves, which provide a soft texture even when the plant is not in bloom. The flowers are reddish-orange, often with a golden centre, and typically deepen to brick red in cooler temperatures, while appearing more orange-red in summer heat. Each bloom has five rounded petals and appears in succession for several months.

With a mature size of around 30–50 cm high and 60–75 cm wide, ‘Red Ace’ is ideal for ground cover, edging, rock gardens, and low-maintenance landscapes. It is tough, adaptable, and easy to grow, making it ideal for gardeners of all levels.

• Produces bright red to orange-red flowers from May to October

• Compact, mounded form with fine green foliage

• Height: 30–50 cm; Spread: 60–75 cm

• Excellent for low hedging, small borders, or wildlife-friendly gardens

• Loved for its drought tolerance, long bloom time, and resilience

Growing Conditions and Maintenance

Potentilla 'Red Ace' is very easy to care for and suitable for a wide range of soils and settings, including urban and coastal gardens. It requires very little pruning and is ideal for low-maintenance schemes.

• Light Requirements:

  • Thrives in full sun for best flowering and compact growth

  • Tolerates light shade, though flower colour may fade slightly and bloom less profusely

• Soil Preferences:

  • Grows well in well-drained, moderately fertile soil

  • Tolerates chalky, sandy, and poor soils

  • Avoid waterlogged or very heavy clay soils

• Watering Needs:

  • Water well during establishment

  • Once established, very drought-tolerant

  • In containers, water during dry spells

• Feeding:

  • Feed with a balanced fertiliser in spring for stronger growth and blooms

  • Mulch with compost to retain moisture and suppress weeds

• Pruning and Maintenance:

  • Requires minimal pruning

  • Trim lightly in early spring to maintain shape and remove old wood

  • Rejuvenate older plants every few years by cutting back more thoroughly

• Winter Care:

  • Hardy in Zones 3–7 (RHS H7)

  • Fully hardy in the UK and Ireland

  • Deciduous—drops leaves in autumn and regrows in spring

Garden Uses, Companion Plants, and Pollinator Benefits

Potentilla 'Red Ace' is a versatile, vibrant shrub perfect for adding colour and texture to the landscape with minimal effort. It’s a smart choice for wildlife gardens, mass planting, and coastal schemes.

• Design Applications:

  • Ideal for front-of-border use, rock gardens, mass planting, and ground cover

  • Great as a low hedge or edging plant in small or large gardens

  • Works beautifully in urban, coastal, or drought-tolerant gardens

• Companion Plants:

  • Pairs well with Lavandula, Nepeta, Echinacea, Heuchera, and Salvia

  • Contrasts beautifully with silver or dark foliage plants like Artemisia or Pittosporum ‘Tom Thumb’

  • Complements ornamental grasses and other Potentilla cultivars for a multi-colour scheme

• Container Use:

  • Excellent in terracotta or stone pots

  • Use free-draining compost and water during dry periods

  • Can be combined with trailing plants or seasonal flowers

• Pollinator Benefits:

  • Flowers attract bees, hoverflies, and butterflies

  • Provides nectar over a long season, supporting pollinator populations

  • Ideal for wildlife-friendly and sustainable planting

• Pest and Disease Resistance:

  • Very resistant to pests and diseases

  • May occasionally show leaf spotting in very wet summers—improve airflow and avoid overcrowding

  • Tolerates wind and coastal exposure well

We currently only deliver within the island of Ireland, other countries can be quoted for by contacting [email protected] or via telephone on 06964084
 

Standard Delivery is FREE on orders over €250*

All standard deliveries will be completed within 5-7 working days via Fastway Couriers, any delay to this delivery time, the customer will be notified by One of our staff.

The in-Store delivery charge will vary compared with online, in-store delivery charge is done on a case by case basis. 

* Only mainland Ireland addresses qualify for free delivery.
 

Live Plants Delivery

Our live plants are packed with care and diligence by our staff, our horticulturists review each plant before despatch to ensure quality is maintained.
Live Plant delivery charges are not calculated on weight but on the space required per package to ensure safe delivery, so delivery charges may vary as some plants require more space than others when packed.
All live plants are despatched within 3-5 working days where possible, our couriers aim to deliver within 48 hours of despatch from our Garden Centre to allow the plant to arrive in healthy condition.
 

Click & Collect

Can’t wait for delivery? Why not try our FREE Click & Collect service? Simply make your purchase online and collect it from our store located in Croagh Co. Limerick. Our staff will contact you by phone when your order is ready for collection (Please allow 24 hours minimum). When collecting your item, call the store on 069-64084. We will then load into your car as required. This service is available in-store 9am – 6pm Monday – Saturday (No collections on Sundays)

Click here for more information about our shipping conditions.

You can pay your online order either by credit card or via Paypal.
If you have any further questions about the online order payment please contact us via ­069 640 84 or mail.