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Common Name: Coltsfoot

General Information

Tussilago farfara is a perennial plant that can grow up to 0.22 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.

Known Hazards

The plant contains traces of liver-affecting pyrrolizidine alkaloids and is potentially toxic in large doses[]. These alkaloids have not proved toxic at low dosages in tests and there is no suggestion that this plant should not be used medicinally[].

Botanical References

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Range

Europe, including Britain, from Norway south and east to N. Africa, western and northern Asia.

Habitat

Damp habitats, frequently on alkaline clays, in hedgebanks, roadsides, wasteland, often as a pioneer, and on dunes and shingle in coastal zones[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.22 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Bees, Flies, Self
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A very easily grown plant, it succeeds in most soils when grown in full sun[]. It prefers a moist neutral to alkaline soil and will also succeed in partial shade[].
Plants are hardy to about -29°c[].
Coltsfoot is a very tough plant that is more than capable of looking after itself. When well sited its roots will spread very freely sending up new shoots at some distance from the clump even if growing amongst dense weed competition[]. This can make it a problem weed in gardens[], so either choose your site with care or find some means of restraining it such as by planting in a large tub that is buried in the ground[]. The rhizomes can lay dormant in the soil for many years, emerging when the soil is disturbed[].

Edible Uses

Flower buds and young flowers - raw or cooked[, ]. A pleasant aniseed flavour[], they add a distinctive aromatic flavour to salads[].
Young leaves - raw or cooked[, , ]. They can be used in salads, added to soups, or cooked as a vegetable[]. The leaves have a bitter taste unless they are washed after being boiled[].
An aromatic tea is made from the fresh or dried leaves and flowers[]. It has a liquorice-like flavour[].
The dried and burnt leaves are used as a salt substitute[, ].
The slender rootstock is candied in sugar syrup[].

Medicinal

An effective demulcent and expectorant herb, coltsfoot is one of the most popular European remedies for the treatment of a wide range of chest complaints[]. It is widely available in health food shops. The leaves are commonly used in Europe, though the flowering stems (which contain higher levels of pyrrolizidine alkaloids) are preferred in China[]. They are rich in mucilage and are the main parts used, though the root is also sometimes employed[, ]. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids have a toxic effect upon the liver, but are largely destroyed when the plant is boiled to make a decoction[]. Some caution should be employed in the use of this remedy - the flowers should not be used except under professional supervision, the leaves should not be used for more than 4 - 6 weeks at a time, the herb should not be taken whilst pregnant or breast-feeding and it should not be given to children under the age of six[].
Modern research has shown that extracts of the whole plant can increase immune resistance[]. In a Chinese trial 75% of patients suffering from bronchial asthma showed some improvement after treatment with this plant, though the anti-asthmatic effect was short-lived[].
The leaves are harvested in June and early July, the flowers are harvested when fully open and the root is harvested in the autumn. All can be dried and used as required[].
The plant is antitussive, astringent, demulcent, emollient, expectorant, stimulant and tonic. It is widely used in the treatment of coughs and respiratory problems[, , , , , , , , ] and is often candied so that it can be sucked as a sweet[]. The plant is of particular use in the treatment of chronic emphysema and silicosis, helping to relieve the persistent cough associated with these conditions[]. Coltsfoot is particularly effective when used in combination with liquorice (Glycyrrhiza species), thyme (Thymus vulgaris) and wild cherry (Prunus serotina)[].
A poultice of the flowers has a soothing effect on a range of skin disorders including eczema, ulcers, sores, bites and inflammations[, ].
A bitter, tonic and diaphoretic preparation can be obtained from the root[].

Other Uses

The soft down on the underside of the leaves is used as a stuffing material[, ]. When wrapped in a rag, dipped in saltpetre and dried in the sun it makes an excellent tinder[].
Plants have an extensive root system and are used to stabilize banks[].
The leaves are a valuable addition to the compost heap[].

Propagation

Seed - the plant does not usually require help with spreading itself around, but if required the seed can be sown in situ in early spring or autumn.
Division of the roots is very easy and succeeds at almost any time in the year. The divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions.