Rough Cinquefoil

Biological Name:

Potentilla spp. (Rough-Cinquefoil)

Natural Habitat:

Rough-Cinquefoil: Open woodlands and meadows, North America

Description:

Rough-Cinquefoil is a low-growing weed that has small green leaves and yellow flowers that grow in clusters at the top of the plant. It often grows in lawns and gardens and can be difficult to control once established. It can be distinguished from other weeds by its small size and yellow flowers.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Is rough cinquefoil invasive?
A: It is invasive in grass fields or shrub-dominated areas. In King County, sulfur cinquefoil is most often found invading rocky or low-nutrient soils. It is found in pastures, roadsides, railroads, waste areas, and parks throughout King County. Plants are long-lived and highly persistent.
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Q: How do I get rid of cinquefoil from my lawn?
A: Pulling is a good solution if you don’t have a huge number of plants. Watering the area a day or two ahead makes weed pulling more effective because the weeds are easier to pull and you are more likely to get the entire taproot. The plant will regrow if you are unable to remove every bit of the taproot.
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Q: Where is the best place to plant a potentilla?
A: Full sun to partial shade. Plants will flower best with at least 6 hours of full sun. Some afternoon shade in warmer climates will help keep plants blooming longer and the flowers from fading.
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Q: Should Potentilla be cut back?
A: The best time of year to prune Potentilla is spring before the leaves start to emerge. Cut back the top and old branches to encourage more full and dense growth. Shaping the plant in the spring will ensure the shrub looks good and has a rounded, consistent appearance.
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Q: Is cinquefoil poisonous to dogs?
A: If you’re living in Colorado, you can safely grow Potentilla species around dogs and cats as well as horses. This shrub is commonly known as Bush Cinquefoil.
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Q: Is rough cinquefoil edible?
A: Like many weeds, cinquefoil was imported to North America from Europe because the settlers considered it a useful plant. For the Euell Gibbons fans: yes, young shoots and leaves of cinquefoil are edible in salads or cooked as a pot herb. Also, like most weeds, cinquefoil has been used medicinally in the past.
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Q: Is creeping cinquefoil poisonous?
A: These members of the Potentilla genus have no known hazards but are high in tannins which make them taste unpleasant. They also contain the bitter glycoside tormentilline and so should only be offered in moderation.
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Q: What is cinquefoil used for?
A: The root is used for chronic and infectious catarrhal enteritis, quinsey, epilepsy, toothache, dysentery, and jaundice. Especially helps intestinal problems where diarrhea and constipation alternate. Externally, used to help heal wounds, sores, ulcers, bruises and relieves pain.
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Q: What does cinquefoil smell like?
A: The center of the flower has a somewhat flattened reproductive structure, which is surrounded by about 20 stamens. The blooming period can occur from spring to mid-summer, and lasts about a month. Only a few flowers are in bloom at the same time. There is no noticeable floral scent.
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Q: Can you smoke cinquefoil herb?
A: Range and Identification of Sulphur Cinquefoil The leaves somewhat resemble those of pot (hemp, marijuana), but do not have the same effects when smoked or ingested.
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Q: Are Potentilla and cinquefoil the same?
A: Potentilla, also called shrubby cinquefoil or bush cinquefoil, is one of the most popular landscape shrubs. It is valued for its long bloom time, exceptional hardiness, and carefree nature.
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Q: Do you cut back cinquefoil?
A: Cinquefoil is easy to care for, and a simple light yearly pruning should enable you to keep a cute, bushy bearing and stimulate the summer flowering. When the vegetation phase starts up, lightly prune the plant to give it a nice shape.
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Q: How do you get rid of cinquefoil?
A: Plants can be hand dug, as long as care is taken to remove the root crown. Repeated cultivation can also be effective in controlling this plant. However, mowing is not recommended. Sulfur cinquefoil can be controlled using specific herbicides.
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Q: Are cinquefoil weeds?
A: Sulfur cinquefoil (Potentilla recta), a class B perennial noxious weed in Lincoln County, Washington. A native of the Eastern Mediterranean, a member of the rose family, is a close relative to strawberries. However, because of its invasive nature, it is very undesirable economically and ecologically.
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Q: How do I get rid of Pellitory?
A: Mulching: During the seed stage, covering with sawdust, straws or black mulches to effectively inhibit seed germination and the growth of the seedling. … Pulling out: Before the weeds fructify, wear gloves or use tools to pull them out.
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Q: How many years do potentilla live?
A: (Potentilla hickmanii) Hickman’s cinquefoil is a small herbaceous perennial that develops a woody taproot that can survive through years of unfavorable conditions. Some individuals have been estimated to live 25 to 30 years.
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Q: Is rough cinquefoil native to Ontario?
A: The flower derived its name from early French settlers who referred to its flower structure as having 5 (cinq) leaves (foil). Hence the name Cinquefoil. This wild flower is native to Ontario and can produce over 1600 seeds per plant.
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Q: Are Potentilla plants invasive?
A: Sulfur cinquefoil (Potentilla recta), a class B perennial noxious weed in Lincoln County, Washington. A native of the Eastern Mediterranean, a member of the rose family, is a close relative to strawberries. However, because of its invasive nature, it is very undesirable economically and ecologically.
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Q: Is cinquefoil an annual or perennial?
A: Cinquefoils are chiefly perennial and have stems that are creeping or erect. The leaves are palmately compound (the leaflets arise from a common centre) or pinnately compound (feather-formed). The solitary five-petaled flowers are usually yellow, sometimes white or red in horticultural varieties.
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Q: Are cinquefoil deer resistant?
A: Cold hardy, low-maintenance, long-blooming and deer-resistant! Care: Prefers moist, well drained soils but adapt to dry conditions once established. Prune about a third of the branches to the ground in late winter/early spring and apply a controlled-release fertilizer.
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Q: What does a cinquefoil symbolism?
A: In heraldry, the cinquefoil emblem or potentilla signified strength, power, honor, and loyalty. Depiction of the five-petalled flower appears as early as 1033, in the architecture of the church built in the village of Reulle-Vergy in Burgundy, France, two years before the reign of William the Conqueror.
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About the author

Samuel is a gardening professional and enthusiast who has spent over 20 years advising homeowners and farm owners on weed identification, prevention and removal. He has an undergraduate degree in plant and soil science from Michigan State University.