Sulphur Cinquefoil close-up of flowers Sulphur Cinquefoil

Potentilla recta L.

Family: Rosaceae

Description and Life Cycle

Suphur cinquefoil is a long-lived, taprooted perennial. One or more stems rise from a woody crown. Mature height measures 30 - 60 cm tall. Stems are covered with erect hairs. Palmate-like leaves are produced along stems. Each leaf is divided into 5 - 7 strongly veined, hairy leaflets. Flowers are pale "sulphur" coloured, each petal heart-shaped, arranged around bright yellow centres. Seeds are dark brown, wrinkled achenes. Each plant can produce over 1600 seeds.

Sulphur cinquefoil is easily confused with graceful cinquefoil (P. gracilis) which is shorter and has longer white hairs on the stem and on the underside of the leaf, and its flowers are a deeper yellow.

British Columbia Biological Control Agents

  • Anthonomus rubripes ab. femoratus - Beetle (screening suspended)
  • Tinthia myrmosaeformis - Moth (screening suspended)

References

Cranston, R., D. Ralph and B. Wikeem. 2005. Field guide to noxious and other selected weeds of British Columbia. Gov. of BC. 94 p.

MFR staff observations and comments

Parish, R., R. Coupe and D. Lloyd. 1996. Plants of southern interior British Columbia.

Schaffner, U. and I. Tosevski. 1994. Investigations on potential biocontrol agents of sulphur cinquefoil Potentilla recta L. Internat. Instit. Biol. Contr., CAB Internat. 23 p.

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