Coltsfoot is a well-known medicinal plant whose he althy ingredients are available to everyone free of charge. It grows wild in the local area and can be easily spotted if you look closely. Coltsfoot may be collected, for healing or just to eat. Here's how to track him down.
When and where can you collect coltsfoot?
Collecting coltsfoot depends on the parts of the plant: flowering time (February to April), leaf shoots (after the flowers have faded), roots (from September). Typical locations are paths or roadsides, embankments and gravel areas. Look for hoof-shaped, long-stemmed leaves and yellow flowers.
Usable plant parts
Coltsfoot is one of the wild plants where not a single part of the plant should be neglected. When collecting, the season and your own preference decide what ends up in the collection basket:
- Flowers
- Shoots
- leaves
- Roots
Collection time
At any time of the year, the coltsfoot offers something of itself to the diligent collector. Viewed this way, the length of its collection period is identical to the calendar year. But it depends on what exactly you want to pick. Every part of the plant has its time and it can only be a few weeks.
- Flowering time is from February to April
- after the flowers fade, the leaves follow
- The roots can be dug up from September
Locations
Cow dung and sand flower are two other names for this wild herb. But also broad lettuce, hoof leaf, streamflower and a few more. This shows how widespread and well-known the herb is in this country. That's why, wherever you are, there's a good chance that coltsfoot is growing around the corner. These are possible locations:
- Paths or waysides
- Embankments
- gravel places
Tip
The wild herb can also feel at home and settle permanently in cultivated gardens. This is usually the case if the soil is calcareous.
Distinguishing features
- Growth height: 10 to 5 cm
- Flowers: yellow, approx. 2 cm large, radiating (similar to dandelions)
- they appear before the leaves
- Stem: rough/scaly
- Seeds: arranged like dandelions
- Leaf shoots: initially curled up to a point
- Leaf shape: hoof-shaped, long-stalked,
- young specimens are covered with felt hair
Likelihood of confusion
Coltsfoot flowers can be confused with dandelion flowers if collected at the wrong time. When the dandelion shows its flowers, those of the coltsfoot have long since faded.
The leaves are likely to be confused with butterbur. An important differentiating factor is size. Butterbur leaves are three times larger at up to 60 cm.
Toxicity
Since coltsfoot contains small amounts of pyrrolizidine alkaloids, it is considered slightly poisonous. This ingredient is said to damage the liver. However, the low concentration of the toxin does not prevent consumption. Only pregnant women, breastfeeding women and children should avoid it to be on the safe side.
