Tussilago farfara

Tussilago farfara - Colt's foot - is a distinctive early-flowering species of the family Asteracea. It occurs on an impressive range of disturbed sites, from forestry tracks to sand dunes.

Colt's foot's takes an extreme approach to early-flowering - flower now ask questions later. The erect flowering stems appear significantly before the leaves, protruding somewhat extraterrerstrially from the... um... terre. Later in the year you often only see the large, cordate leaves forming extensive patches on gravel tracks and sand dunes - it is the shape of these leaves which give the plant its common name.

Colt's foot tea is a traditional herbal medicine - however, some people avoid it now due to the presence of alkaloids which may damage the liver.