Coltsfoot
€6.95
Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara) is offered here as a small-medium potted plant. A tough, spreading perennial in the daisy family, it produces cheerful, dandelion-like yellow flowers on short stems very early in spring, well before its broad, heart-shaped leaves unfurl. Growing to around 30 cm, it spreads readily by underground rhizomes and self-seeding to form loose colonies over time. Its common name and old herbal name 'coughwort' reflect a long tradition of use for coughs and respiratory complaints, though the plant contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, and modern herbal guidance favours occasional or external use over regular internal use, with some markets restricting it altogether. Its early flowers are also a valuable nectar source for bees and other pollinators emerging in late winter and early spring. Vigorous once settled, it suits naturalistic planting, wildflower banks and wild corners rather than tidy borders, and is a hardy addition to wildlife gardens across Ireland and the UK.
Quantity
Only 3 left in stock
Growing Instructions
Grow in full sun to partial shade in moist, well-drained soil, though it tolerates poorer ground too. Coltsfoot spreads vigorously by rhizomes and self-seeding, so plant it where it has room to roam, or contain the roots with a buried barrier if growing it in a border. Little watering or feeding is needed beyond the first season while it establishes. It is best suited to wildflower areas, banks and naturalistic corners, where its early spring flowers can be left to feed emerging pollinators.
