A Splash of Yellow
Coltsfoot - (Tussilago Farfara) - Penny Lake Preserve, Boothbay Harbor, Maine
The Coltsfoot flower is actually a composite flower made up of many smaller flowers that specialize to form the "flower" we see in this image. The outer array is made up of many thin ray flowers, while the center is a cluster of tiny 5 petal flowers. The Coltsfoot is named for the shape of the leaves (not out yet), and is one of the very first flowers to bloom in the Spring.
The Coltsfoot is mainly known as a perennial herb, and the leaves, flowers, and occasionally the root are used medicinally to treat asthma, bronchitis, dry hacking coughs, laryngitis, throat hoarseness, lung cancer symptoms, mouth and throat irritations, sore throat, and wheezing. However, it is not advisable to use it as a medicinal herb since it contains unsafe amounts of pyrrolizidine alkaloids which have been scientifically proven to cause liver cancer in rats.
A Splash of Yellow
Coltsfoot - (Tussilago Farfara) - Penny Lake Preserve, Boothbay Harbor, Maine
The Coltsfoot flower is actually a composite flower made up of many smaller flowers that specialize to form the "flower" we see in this image. The outer array is made up of many thin ray flowers, while the center is a cluster of tiny 5 petal flowers. The Coltsfoot is named for the shape of the leaves (not out yet), and is one of the very first flowers to bloom in the Spring.
The Coltsfoot is mainly known as a perennial herb, and the leaves, flowers, and occasionally the root are used medicinally to treat asthma, bronchitis, dry hacking coughs, laryngitis, throat hoarseness, lung cancer symptoms, mouth and throat irritations, sore throat, and wheezing. However, it is not advisable to use it as a medicinal herb since it contains unsafe amounts of pyrrolizidine alkaloids which have been scientifically proven to cause liver cancer in rats.