Also known as: Rough-fruited cinquefoil, erect cinquefoil, five-finger cinquefoil, yellow cinquefoil
Sulphur cinquefoil is a prolific seeder – a single plant can produce up to 5,000 seeds annually! Once established, it can quickly take over rangelands and meadows. It is unpalatable to most wildlife and livestock.
Description:
| Life Cycle: | Perennial (life cycle lasts more than one year) |
| Early Detection and Rapid Response species: | Yes |
| Height: | 3 feet (1 meter) |
| Leaf Description: | Leaves are rough and hairy. They have five to seven hairy leaflets with toothed edges. Leaflets are palmatelyLeaflets that originate from the same point like fingers off the palm of a hand. arranged. |
| Fruit & Flower Description: | Umbrella-shaped flower clusters bloom at the end of each stem. Each flower has five light yellow petals and a dark yellow center. Seeds are dark brown and winged edges. A single plant can produce up to 5,000 seeds. Seeds begin to form mid-July and mature by August. |
| Bloom Time: | May to July |
Habitat:
- Sulphur cinquefoil prefers open environments with plenty of sun.
- It can be commonly found growing in grasslands, meadows, pastures, logged areas, and roadsides.
Impact:
- Sulphur cinquefoil’s ability to produce an abundance of seeds allow it to quickly take over rangelands, grasslands, and meadows.
- It displaces native grasses, shrubs, grazing forage, and even other invasive plants.
- It has a high tannin content and is unpalatable to most wildlife and livestock.
What you can do about it:
- If you think you’ve found sulphur cinquefoil anywhere in Oregon, please report it to the Oregon Invasive Species Hotline.
- Mowing does not control sulphur cinquefoil since the root crown of each plant is left intact.
- Hand pulling can control it. Care must be taken to remove the entire root crown to ensure the plant will not resprout. Dispose of all plant material in a plastic bag in the trash—not your yard waste bin or home compost.
Look-alikes:
Sulphur cinquefoil is often confused with slender cinquefoil (Potentilla gracilis). Slender cinquefoil is a native plant in Oregon and its flowers have brighter yellow petals.
Noxious Weed Listing:
| State of Oregon: | Class B |
| State of Washington: | Class B |
More Resources:
Download the Sulphur Cinquefoil Best Management Practices factsheet
- Pacific Northwest Weed Management Handbook: Sulfur cinquefoil
- University of California, Weed Research & Information Center: Sulfur cinquefoil