California Invasive Plant Council

Potentilla recta

Synonyms: Pentaphyllum rectum, Fragaria recta

Common names: sulphur cinquefoil; rough-fruited cinquefoil, erect cinquefoil

Potentilla recta (sulphur cinquefoil) is a perennial forb (family: Rosaceae) listed as a noxious weed in several states in the western US, including California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, and Montana. It is native to the eastern Mediterranean, has naturalized nearly all lower US states, and is especially well established in the Pacific Northwest. Sulphur cinquefoil has multiple stems, palmately compound leaves with serrated edges and erect hairs, and pale yellow flowers on branched inflorescences. Habitats invaded include forest understories, grasslands, and shrublands. This plant produces copious seeds, has a high germination rate, and can establish viable seed banks for up to four years. These traits enable Potentilla recta to quickly establish and persist among native communities. Its high tannin content makes it unpalatable to livestock and ungulate wildlife in rangelands. Potentilla recta can also hybridize with some close native relatives.

Cal-IPC Rating: Watch

CDFA Rating: -*?

Explanation of CDFA ratings

• A – A pest of known economic or environmental detriment and is either not known to be established in California or it is present in a limited distribution that allows for the possibility of eradication or successful containment.
• B – A pest of known economic or environmental detriment and, if present in California, it is of limited distribution.
• C – A pest of known economic or environmental detriment and, if present in California, it is usually widespread.
• D – An organism known to be of little or no economic or environmental detriment, to have an extremely low likelihood of weediness, or is known to be a parasite or predator.
• Q – An organism or disorder suspected to be of economic or environmental detriment, but whose status is uncertain because of incomplete identification or inadequate information.
• * – An asterisk next to the rating indicates that a plant is included in the CCR Section 4500 list of California State Noxious Weeds.
• -* – This plant is included in the CCR Section 4500 list of California State Noxious Weeds, but is otherwise not rated.

More details

Assessment(s)

Potentilla recta Plant Risk Assessment - An evaluation of the potential for a plant to be invasive in California.

Weed Management Notes

Cal-IPC Newsletter Articles

• Inventory Update 2022. Burger, Jutta. Vol 30, Issue 1

Cal-IPC Symposium Presentations

Presentations are linked where available. Where a presentation is not available, find more information by reading the abstract in the Cal-IPC Symposia Archive.

There are no Symposium presentations associated with this species yet.

Other Potentilla recta Information

• Bugwood - National database from the Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health at the University of Georgia.
• CalPhotos - Images of plants taken mostly in California.
• Calflora - Distribution map and records of this species in California.
• EDDMapS - Distribution of this species in North America.
• GBIF - Global distribution information.
• Jepson Interchange - Information on this plant's taxonomy, biology, and distribution from UC Berkeley's Jepson Herbarium.
• USDA PLANTS Database - Information on identification and distribution, with links to websites in individual states.
• The Plant List - Global taxonomic resource and collaborative clearinghouse from Kew Gardens, the Royal Botanic Gardens, the Missouri Botanic Garden and others.

Additional photos