Season Window
15 Feb – 30 AprBare banks, disturbed clay, tracksides and damp open ground
Late winter to spring flowers
Coltsfoot
Tussilago farfara
Its flowers arrive before the leaves, making coltsfoot an unusual marker of early spring.
Harvest
How we meet this plant
Observe rather than collect; flowers and leaves emerge at different times and the plant needs careful identification.
Preparation
At the kitchen table
No home medicinal preparation is recommended; discuss historical use only.
Community Use
Why we teach it
A plant for teaching the difference between traditional use and modern safety evidence.
Safety
Coltsfoot can contain liver-toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Do not make or drink homemade coltsfoot teas or syrups.