Happy Face® Yellow Potentilla
Shrub
- One of the longest-blooming shrubs.
- Easy to care for and extremely hardy.
- Versatile habit with hundreds of yellow flowers.
- Certified Deer Proof™ by Proven Winners® ColorChoice Shrubs.
- Zones 2-7, sun/part sun, 3' tall x 3' wide at maturity.
ZONE
EXPOSURE
HEIGHT
Description
Details
Patent #: USPP 22,176
Common name: Potentilla, Shrubby cinquefoil, Tundra rose
Zone: 2-7
Sun exposure: Full sun (6+ hours sun) to part-sun (4-6 hours sun) or filtered light through the day.
Height x width: 2-3'
Flower color: Yellow
Foliage color: Green
Season of Interest: Late spring-frost
Bloom time: Summer, spring, fall
Features: Proven Winners, native, ground covers, drought tolerant, deer resistant, cold tolerant
Uses: Ground cover, edging, perennial gardens, landscaping.
How to Grow
Light: Full sun (6+ hours sun) to part sun (4-6 hours sun)/filtered light.
Water: Average.
Space: Min 2' apart.
Fertilizing: Little needed. Apply a granular rose fertilizer in early spring if desired.
Winterizing: A good 2-3" layer of mulch is recommended.
Maintenance & Pruning: In early spring, when new growth begins, cut out any dead portions. Plant may be sheared by half or more to encourage new growth. Once mature, remove a few of the oldest stems each year to encourage robust new growth. If the weather gets very hot in summer, plants may take a break from blooming but will resume when conditions improve.
Plant spacing is based on the ultimate width of the plants. This figure is normally given as a range; for example, 3-5’. If you live in a cold climate and/or want plants to fill in more quickly, plan to space at the shorter end of the range. If you live in a warm climate, are on a limited budget, or are willing to wait longer for plants to touch, use the higher end of the range. Using the larger number is recommended when calculating distance from a building or structure. There’s really no such thing as "maximum spacing": if you don’t want your plants to touch, you can space them as far apart as you’d like. All plant spacing is calculated on center, or in other words, the centers of the plants are spaced one half of their eventual width apart:
Unless you are planting in a straight line, as you might for hedges or edging, space your plants in a staggered or zig-zag pattern for a more interesting and naturalistic look:
Not sure just how many plants will fit in your garden? Our calculator gives you the exact amount of plants required for your space. Simply update the values and the calculator will re-calculate accordingly. Spacing information can be found in the 'How to Grow' tab on each plant's page.
I received my plants two days late from FedEx. There is no way these should even have been sent, let alone be charged $20! These were the worst looking "plants" I have ever seen. Great Garden should be ashamed for sending product like this.
Sorry to hear your shipment was delayed! We've got you covered with our 60-day guarantee. We guarantee that you will be satisfied with your purchase and that your plants will arrive healthy, free of pests and diseases, and true to name. Have a problem with your plant? We make it easy to place a claim via email, automated claim process, or use the chat bubble. Simply send us a photo of your plant, your order number, and a brief description of the problem within 60 days of receipt of your order. While we do not accept returns, we are happy to issue refunds. Refunds are based on the plant cost and do not include shipping charges. Allow up to 2 weeks for processing refunds. After 60 days, we cannot be responsible for the plants in your care and will not cover problems with overwintering, animals, insects, diseases, improper planting, drought, flooding, poor drainage, etc. Our goal is that you are successful with our plants (and gardening in general), so our expert staff is here to assist you with any problem you may experience. Any plant shipped dormant in spring is guaranteed to break dormancy, even if it takes longer than 60 days.
My mom always had a good hedge of these when I was a child, so I had been looking for them. They are planted in a new bed with all other new plants that are doing well. But I think they are dead. I would love replacements.
Hello! We're sorry to hear you've had trouble with your new plants. Please email pictures of the plants to [email protected], making sure to put your order number and name in the subject line so that we may provide the best assistance possible. Rest assured, we have a 60-day guarantee on all our plants. If you received your plants within that timeframe, we would be happy to apply your warranty once we receive the pictures. Happy Gardening!
https://www.greatgardenplants.com/pages/our-guarantee
A month after writing a previous review I must now say that the Potentilla has died. We have had another bout of extreme heat here in Missouri and despite watering consistently the shrub's foliage has now shriveled. I'm beginning to wonder if zone 6B is now too warm for Potentilla.
Our friendly customer service team is here to help! Just contact us at [email protected] with your order number and photos of the plants. After further investigation, we will be able to better assist you. All orders are covered by our 60-day guarantee. We appreciate your feedback and look forward to helping! https://bit.ly/ggp-guarantee
Couldn't find the shrubs I wanted locally so was pleased to see such a variety offered online. Spring of 2025 ordered a Spirea & 2 Potentilla. One of the Potentilla survived the summer and one did not. The one year old survivor is thriving but does require bi-weekly watering since it is still quite small. I think the plants are over-priced given their size & the fact that they do require some babying for quite a while because of their size.
We’re sorry you’re not satisfied with your plants! On each product page and our plant sizes page, we note that all of our plants are young. The size of our plants varies depending on the time of year and whether they were recently trimmed. The most important thing when purchasing plants, online or in garden centers, is a full and robust root system, which we prioritize. Trimming only encourages stronger root development! All orders are covered by our 60-day guarantee, so please reach out to [email protected] to start the claims process if necessary.
Plants arrived in good condition. Three weeks on they are growing well. Can't say until next Spring whether or not I'm happy with my purchase.
Did not have to wait long for my order to arrived. Excellent packing and all of my order was healthy.
It did not live through the winter and will have to be replaced
Hello! We are sorry that you're not satisfied with your plants. Our customer service team would love to hear from you! Please email pictures of the plants to [email protected], making sure to put your order number and name in the subject line so that we may provide the best assistance possible. Rest assured, we have a guarantee on all our plants. Our fall guarantee covers plants received after September 1 until May 2024! If you received your plants within that time frame, we would happily apply your warranty once we receive the pictures. Happy Gardening!
https://www.greatgardenplants.com/pages/our-guarantee
Three of the shrubs have not made it, despite a good amount of watering and good soil.
We've got you covered with our 60-day guarantee. We guarantee that you will be satisfied with your purchase and that your plants will arrive healthy, free of pests and diseases, and true to name. Have a problem with your plant? We make it easy to place a claim via email, automated claim process, or use the chat bubble. Simply send us a photo of your plant, your order number, and a brief description of the problem within 60 days of receipt of your order. While we do not accept returns, we are happy to issue refunds. Refunds are based on the plant cost and do not include shipping charges. Allow up to 2 weeks for processing refunds. After 60 days, we cannot be responsible for the plants in your care and will not cover problems with overwintering, animals, insects, diseases, improper planting, drought, flooding, poor drainage, etc. Our goal is that you are successful with our plants (and gardening in general), so our expert staff is here to assist you with any problem you may experience. Any plant shipped dormant in spring is guaranteed to break dormancy, even if it takes longer than 60 days.
Please note: our guarantee does not cover plants grown outside of their recommended growing zones. Verify your USDA zone by clicking 'Growing Zone' in the site navigation and entering your zip code before purchasing.
The price seemed high, but I thought they would be such a pretty plant. Unfortunately, the plants were so small that they didn't stand a chance to survive. I didn't realize how small they were and how slim their chance for survival was. Sorry, I ordered them and lost $144.50
I'm sorry you are not satisfied with your plants!
We do note that all of our plants are young on each product page and on our plant sizes page (found here). The size and maturity of the plants varies widely depending on the time of the year you purchased and if they were recently trimmed. The important thing when it comes to purchasing plants, whether online or in a garden center, is that they have a full, robust root system, and that's what we prioritize in our greenhouses.
The more roots a plant has, the more energy it can put into growing once it is planted in your garden. We do keep our plants trimmed to encourage strong root development!
Rest assure you have 60 day warranty on all of your plants. Feel free to email photos to [email protected]!
My black thumb killed 6 out of 7 plants 😥
Plants arrived in perfect condition.
Hello! We're sorry to hear that you had a tough time with your new plants. Please email pictures of the plants to [email protected], making sure to put your order number and name in the subject line so that we may provide the best assistance possible. Rest assured, we have a 60-day guarantee on all our plants. If you received your plants within that timeframe, we would be happy to apply your warranty once we receive the pictures. Happy Gardening!
https://www.greatgardenplants.com/pages/our-guarantee
I have clay soil, so I dug a hole and removed all chunks of clay of any size and used "fill dirt" that was mostly new top soil with some clay, and used starter fertilizer and rooting hormone to give the potentilla the best chance, and it appears to have paid off.
Would order again!
We fell on love with a cousin of this plant in Colorado. We live in Zone 6. I ordered and it has been planted for a put 3 weeks now. It first bloomed 2 weeks ago! We had never ordered a plan on line before and we're skeptical. We received updates on shipping and the plant arrived intact and very much alive! They even sent care instructions and a book with information on landscaping with various plants. We will definitely order from Great Garden Plants in the future!
Very carefully and safely packed. Healthy plant.
Too small
It’s been in the ground long enough to get a good start. I’m hoping it will be back in the spring. If it comes back I’m going to order the pink one.
I'm sure the flowers will be lovely once they open. I think I will have to wait until next year. The plants continue to be healthy.
I planted 15 plants only 4 survived!
Plants are in the ground, still green, but struggling. I planted six, five doing well.
Thanks.
Can you root pieces?
Hello! Thank you for your question. We don't recommend dividing the plant as that can damage the roots and impair growth.
Why is the plant getting brown and dry looking??
Potentilla doesn't care for extremely wet or extremely dry conditions. It could be that the plant is getting either too much or too little water. Check the moisture level of the soil and adjust your watering schedule accordingly.
Do you prune and if so, when?
Yes this plant will need to be pruned. Once mature, remove a few of the oldest stems each year to encourage robust new growth. If the weather gets very hot in summer, plants may take a break from blooming but will resume when conditions improve.
how long does it take for happy face potentilla to reach its mature size?
It can take 3 to 5 years for shrubs to reach their mature size.
Does the potentilla bloom all summer?
Happy Face Yellow Potentilla blooms from late spring all the way to the first frost.