COLTSFOOT
Tussilago farfara
FAMILY
Asteraceae
OTHER NAMES
PARTS USED
flowers and leaves
The arrival of coltsfoot flowers in Spring is always exciting because it is one of the first flower of the year, arriving even before its own leaves. Its flowers superficially look like dandelion, but a surefire way to tell the difference is that coltsfoot flower stems are scaly, reddish, and grow directly out of the ground before the plant has any leaves. Dandelion flowers grow from the centre of a rosette of leaves.
Since this is a very early Spring plant, and the bees and other creatures rely on this energy as they are waking up from winter, make sure you leave plenty for everyone else, human and non-human.
DESCRIPTION
Perennial, herbaceous plant. Tussilago is often found in colonies of dozens of plants. The flowers bear scale-leaves on the stems that emerge in early Spring. The leaves of coltsfoot, which appear after the flowers have set seed, wither and die in the early summer. The flower heads are of yellow florets with an outer row of bracts. The plant is typically 10–30 cm in height. The leaves have angular teeth on their margins.
Coltsfoot and burdock often grow near each other, and when I first met them, I thought the leaves were similar because they are some of the biggest weedy leaves around, but they are very different. Coltsfoot leaves are thicker and have corners. Burdock leaves have a slightly ruffled edge and are heart shaped, and more elongated than coltsfoot.
WHERE TO LOOK
Found growing in yards, roadsides, and in old fields and waste places. It can thrive in gravel.
HARVEST NOTES
Coltsfoot flowers are one of the first flowers to emerge in Spring. Snip some flowers, and then return to the same place to get the leaves.
USES
Traditionally used for sore throat, cough, and lung congestion. Extract of the fresh leaves can be made into cough drops.
Infuse honey with the fresh flowers, and then a teaspoon of the honey in hot water makes a nice tea. Flowers and leaves can also be dried for tea.
Leaves can be dried to smoke, or added to smoking blends.
The leaves are high in sodium, and can be burnt to make a seasoning.
Caution: Contains traces of liver-affecting pyrrolizidine alkaloids, potentially toxic in large doses.