PLANT LIBRARY
Potentilla
Potentilla is originating from Europe and Western Asia. In Latin, its name means “small powerful”, in reference to therapeutic properties attributed to this plant previously. Indeed, potentilla is used since a long time in traditional medicine, to sooth irritation and for its antiseptic action.
Perennial plant from 5 to 50 centimeters high, potentilla likes non limestone soil, acids and siliceous. Its rhizome is thick, brownish and winding. When it is freshly cut, it quickly changes colors in blood-red, due to its richness in phenolic compounds. It products stems, which are creeping and more or less raised and spread. They have many leaves, composed by 3 toothed segments. Small yellow flowers have 4 indented petals, and can be lonely or clustered in loos cymes, carried by long thin stalks/ blossom happens from May to August. Fruits are smooth achenes, included on a convex receptacle.
In cosmetic, the high composition in polyphenols of potentilla rhizome has an antioxidant action, and enables to fight efficiently against cutaneous aging, specifically glycation.