Sweet Coltsfoot

Petasites frigidus var. palmatus

Sweet coltsfoot is a rhizomatous perennial found in moist forests, streambanks, and wet meadows across northern North America. It emerges in late winter or very early spring with clusters of white to pinkish flower heads before the leaves emerge. Later, it produces large, deeply lobed, palmate leaves that can form dense groundcover in shaded, wet habitats. During droughty summers it can go dormant, popping back up with the autumn rains, only to go dormant again with the first freezes. Ecologically, this species helps stabilize soils in riparian zones and provides important early nectar for pollinators, while its expansive growth can dominate understories in favorable conditions.