It is also known as five-fingerwort and is widespread in this country. But is creeping cinquefoil a weed that you should fight as quickly as possible or can you also get good use out of it?
How can you successfully combat creeping cinquefoil?
To effectively combat creeping cinquefoil, remove it before flowering (May/June) when the soil is moist by pulling out or digging up the root remains. For larger areas you can also mow it down. Complete removal prevents new growth.
Creeping cinquefoil is considered a weed - why?
As its name suggests, this cinquefoil crawls along the ground. Over time it forms numerous offshoots there. At some point a plant has become a whole carpet that covers the ground. On the one hand because of its strong spread and on the other hand because of its robustness, creeping cinquefoil is considered a weed.
How to fight it?
This must be taken into account when combating:
- has up to 45 cm long, thin taproot
- start as early as possible (before it starts to overgrow)
- remove the herb before flowering (starts in May/June)
- pull out when the ground is moist
- It is better to completely dig out all root residues
- alternatively on larger areas: mowing
- if not completely removed, it will come back
Don't fight the herb rigorously, but use it
If you are a nature lover and don't place too much value on straight lines in your garden, but also enjoy wild plants, don't fight creeping cinquefoil entirely. For example, you can use its plant parts. It is edible and medicinal.
Eat the leaves and flowers
The leaves taste slightly sour and the flowers taste sour-sweet. For example, you can use the leaves in green juices, smoothies, salads, stews and soups. The flowers also taste good on their own and visually enhance various dishes.
The plant parts, among other things, promote blood circulation, help against fever and relieve inflammation in the mouth and throat. The long taproot in particular is full of medicinal ingredients. The leaves, on the other hand, are extremely rich in vitamin C.
Tip
In contrast to many other perennials, creeping cinquefoil is extremely robust in its location when it comes to extremely cold temperatures of up to -29 °C. That's why it's worth letting this plant grow in some places where other plants prove to be poorly winter-hardy.
