Dasiphora

Dasiphora is a small genus of flowering plants in the rose family (Rosaceae), commonly known as shrubby cinquefoils or shrubby potentillas. Native to cool temperate and arctic regions across the Northern Hemisphere, the genus includes woody subshrubs and small shrubs distinguished from herbaceous potentillas by their woody stems and pinnate leaves. Flowers are typically actinomorphic with five petals (often yellow), five sepals, numerous stamens, and produce achenes as fruit.

Taxonomically, Dasiphora has sometimes been treated within the genus Potentilla; molecular phylogenetic studies have supported its recognition as a separate lineage, and many species previously placed in Potentilla are now classified as Dasiphora. Dasiphora fruticosa (syn. Potentilla fruticosa) is the best-known species, widely cultivated and used in landscape plantings for its long flowering period, hardiness, and tolerance of poor soils.

These plants occur in alpine meadows, tundra, streambanks, and open shrublands. They are valued ecologically as nectar sources for pollinators and culturally in horticulture for low hedges, groundcover, and erosion control. Several cultivated varieties offer a range of flower colors and growth forms. Conservation status varies by species and region; habitat loss and land-use changes can affect local populations, while many taxa remain widespread and resilient.