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 palmatelyPalmately Leaflets 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