Coltsfoot
From Freepedia
| Tussilago farfara | ||||||||||||||
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| Tussilago farfara |
Coltsfoot or Tussilago farfara is a genus of the family Asteraceae.
It has been used medicinally as a cough suppressant. The name "tussilago" itself means "cough suppressant." The plant has been used since at least historical times to treat lung ailments such as asthma as well as various coughs by way of smoking. Crushed flowers supposedly cured skin conditions, and the plant has been consumed as a food item.
Coltsfoot is an alien plant in the northeast part of temperate North America. The plant is native to several locations in Europe and Asia. It is also an introduced species in South America. The plant is often found in waste and disturbed places and along roadsides and paths. Coltsfoot is a perennial herbaceous plant that spreads by seeds and rhizomes. Tussilago is often found in colonies of dozens of plants. The flowers, which superficially resemble dandelions, appear in early spring before dandelions. Leaves do not appear usually until after the seeds are set.
Other common names include Ass's foot, Bull's foot, Butterbur, Coughwort, Farfara, Foal's foot, Foalswort, Horse Foot and Winter heliotrope.
