# colt's-foot (*Tussilago farfara*) Colt's-foot is a bright yellow flower that blooms in early spring. Its leaves look like big, fuzzy hands and can be found near roadsides and in fields. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 26 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![colt's-foot](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Coltsfoot.jpg&width=800) Photo: Andreas Trepte, CC BY-SA 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Coltsfoot.jpg) ## Appearance The colt's-foot has bright yellow, dandelion-like flowers that emerge on fuzzy stalks before any leaves appear. Its large, heart-shaped or hoof-shaped green leaves grow later in the season. These leaves often have white, felt-like undersides. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Asterales - **Family:** Asteraceae - **Genus:** Tussilago ## Interesting facts - After its cheerful yellow flowers fade, they transform into fluffy white seed heads, just like dandelions! - Ancient Romans used its dried leaves to make soothing remedies for coughs and colds. - Colt's-foot is so hardy it can grow in places other plants can't, like disturbed soil or roadsides! - Its scientific name, Tussilago, comes from Latin, meaning 'cough expeller'! ## Special abilities - **Winter Warrior:** Colt's-foot can push its flowers through frozen ground and snow, becoming one of the first blooms of spring. - **Underground Traveler:** Colt's-foot has long, creeping underground stems (rhizomes) that help it spread far and wide, even under tough ground. - **Two-Part Show:** Colt's-foot shows its yellow flowers first, then its big leaves grow much later, splitting up its yearly show. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-30 cm - **Spread:** 15-40 cm - **Flower Size:** 2-3 cm - **Bloom Season:** Early spring - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits flowers for early nectar and pollen. - **Pollinates:** Buff-tailed bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — An important early pollinator, feeding on its flowers. - **Parasitizes:** Grass and Coltsfoot Rust (*Puccinia poarum*) — A specific fungus that often grows on its leaves. - **Eats:** [Garden snail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-snail) (*Helix aspersa*) — Feeds on its leaves and stems. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch wild plants without asking an adult. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify colt's-foot? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is colt's-foot? 10-30 cm ### How wide does colt's-foot spread? 15-40 cm ### How big are the flowers on colt's-foot? 2-3 cm ### When does colt's-foot bloom? Early spring ### Is colt's-foot edible? No ### Is colt's-foot toxic? Mild ### What is colt's-foot's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Bear Meadows Natural Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bear-meadows-natural-area) — Pennsylvania, US · Nature Reserve - [Berkshire Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/berkshire-botanical-garden) — Massachusetts, US · Botanical Garden - [Chanticleer Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chanticleer-garden) — Pennsylvania, US · Botanical Garden - [Chestnut Ridge Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chestnut-ridge-park) — New York, US · Park - [Field Farm](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/field-farm) — Massachusetts, US · Nature Reserve - [Five Channels Dam](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/five-channels-dam) — Michigan, US · Historic Site [View all places to see colt's-foot](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/colts-foot) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Colt's-foot: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/colts-foot)