Tussilago farfara
Coltsfoot
Common names: Coughwort
At a glance
- Light
- Full sun
- Spacing
- 30 cm, rows 40 cm
- Lifespan
- Perennial
- Sowing
- Mar–Apr
- Harvest
- Apr–May
- Hardiness
- Hardy down to −15 °C
- Water need
- Medium
- Origin
- Native to Germany
Photo: Andreas Trepte · CC BY-SA 2.5 · Source
Description
Tussilago farfara, commonly known as coltsfoot, is one of the earliest spring bloomers in the garden. It displays bright yellow flower heads on scaly stems as early as February, long before the characteristic horseshoe-shaped leaves appear. A hardy pioneer plant, it readily colonises bare, compacted soils along roadsides or on raw ground, loosening them with its deep-reaching root system. The plant contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which can be hepatotoxic when ingested internally; caution is advised for children and pets that may chew the leaves. Traditionally it was valued for external use and folk medicine, but today it is regarded as a plant that should be handled with care due to its alkaloid content.
Care instructions
Coltsfoot requires little care in the garden. It prefers loamy, calcareous, and relatively dry soils in sunny to partially shaded positions. Water young plants only when prolonged drought occurs, as the deep root system usually supplies sufficient moisture. Because coltsfoot can spread aggressively via rhizomes, a root barrier or a designated area, such as the edge of a wild vegetable plot in Zone 3, can be useful. Remove spent stems after flowering in April and May to prevent uncontrolled spread. When handling the leaves, wear gloves, as some people may be sensitive to the plant sap.
The care notes were machine-translated from German.
Garden year
SowingMar–Apr
HarvestApr–May
Germination
- Soil temperature
- from 5 °C, ideally 15 °C
- Days to sprout
- 14 to 42 days
- Light
- Needs light to sprout
- Sowing depth
- Press in, don't cover
- How to start
- Sow straight into the bed
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
well-drained, sandy, lean, lime-loving
Coltsfoot likes loamy-sandy, rather lean soils with good drainage. In the wild, it colonises freshly disturbed, chalky sites such as verges or embankments. It tolerates waterlogging poorly; a spot in sun to partial shade with free-draining ground suits it best.
Feeding
Light feeder
As an undemanding wild plant, coltsfoot needs no additional feeding. A thin layer of compost in spring is enough if the soil is very low in nutrients. Soil that is too rich makes it run riot rather than doing it any good.
Overwintering
Coltsfoot is hardy and retreats completely in autumn. The underground rhizome survives frost without any trouble and without protection. In spring, the yellow flowers come first, and the leaves follow only afterwards.
Propagation
Methods
- From seed
- Division
The easiest way to propagate coltsfoot is by rhizome pieces, which you divide in spring or autumn and plant in a new spot. The downy seeds germinate quite reliably when sown fresh on open, moist soil. Because the rhizome spreads quickly, it is worth giving it a separate area from the start, for example in a container or with a root barrier. Once established, the plant usually keeps spreading by itself.
Companion planting
Companion planting is partly traditional gardening lore. Where the reason is known, it is given.
Some of these explanations were machine-translated.
For your garden
Grow Coltsfoot yourself
Gartenkern tells you when frost is coming, when to sow and when to harvest, for your location.
Free, no time limit
Notes from real gardens
What other gardeners have written down about this variety, anonymous and voluntary.
No notes shared yet. Will you be the first to write one down?