PlantWatch

Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara)

Photo by Nova Scotia PlantWatch

French name: tussilage
Bloom time: March to May
Report for: NS, NF

General: In the areas where it is found, coltsfoot is usually the first small herb to flower in spring.

Leaves & Twigs: This plant has solid, hairy stems that give rise to the flowers. The distinctive, dark green, hoof-shaped leaves are hairy, which helps to distinguish coltsfoot from similar-looking plants.

Flowers & Fruit: The shiny yellow flowers resemble small dandelions, and open in the sun. The plant’s composite flower heads contain two kinds of flowers: little tube-like ones in the middle and strap-shaped ones on the outside.

Habitat: This herb is often found growing along sunny sidewalks and roadsides, and in rocky fields.

Sampling: Select a typical patch of plants, if the plants are very abundant, mark off a 1-metre-square section to observe.

To Observe:

• First bloom: when the first flowers are open in the observed plants (three places).
• Mid bloom: when 50% of the flowers are open in the observed plants.