Fauna
Flower

Colt's-foot

Tussilago farfara

Also known as Coltsfoot, Coughwort, Horsehoof, Foalsfoot

Colt's-foot sends up bright yellow, dandelion-like flower heads on scaly stalks in very early spring, weeks before its foliage appears. Its broad, hoof-shaped leaves emerge only after flowering concludes, developing a distinctive woolly white coating on their undersides. Spreading rapidly via deep underground rhizomes, it pioneers disturbed, clay-heavy ground along roadsides, railway embankments, and eroding riverbanks.

Early BloomerPerennialWildflower
Colt's-foot reference1 / 7
(c) Ole Husby, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyPhotosynthesis
Predators
  • Roe Deer
  • Garden Snail
  • Coltsfoot Plume Moth
ThreatsHerbicide application, heavy ground cover competition, habitat development
HabitatsDisturbed soils, roadsides, riverbanks, clay slopes, railway verges
Life spanPerennial (rhizomes can persist for decades)
Classification
  1. OrderAsterales
  2. FamilyAsteraceae
  3. GenusTussilago
  4. SpeciesTussilago farfara
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskHigh
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is high
Contains toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids that cause liver damage; do not consume.
Why it is dangerous
Produces hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids that accumulate and cause hepatic veno-occlusive disease and liver failure if consumed.
How to recognize a risky encounter
Look for dandelion-like yellow flower heads on leafless scaly purplish stalks, followed later by hoof-shaped leaves with white-felted undersides.
What to do
Do not collect or brew any plant parts for herbal teas or remedies; skin contact is harmless.
Responsible observation
  • Spring scouting: Look for solitary yellow flowers on naked scaly stems before tree canopies leaf out.
  • Leaf examination: Check the underside of mature summer leaves to observe the dense, felty white hairs.
  • Safe observing: Enjoy wild specimens visually without harvesting for teas or herbal remedies.
Related species
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