Coltsfoot, Tussilago farfara

Coltsfoot has beautiful shaped leaves and I find it to be a quite ornamental groundcover.

Tussilago herb is a herbaceous perennial plant with cheery yellow flowers appearing in spring before the leaves.

In days gone by the coltsfoot has been smoked (!) to treat respiratory conditions.

The plant was also used  topically for the skin, most notably against wrinkles.

The young flowers, flower buds and leaves have been eaten, but the taste is bitter. The dried and burnt leaves are used as a salt substitute.

The plant contains traces of pyrolizidinic alkaloids that produce liver toxicity and should be carefully administered.

Coltsfoot is most likely happier in cooler climates, and according to Isabell Shipard it rarely flowers in subtropical climates.

Height: 023m, spreads and might become weedy.

Site: Sun to part-shade, moist neutral to alkaline soil.