Sweet Butterbur, Golden Palms Coltsfoot, Sweet Coltsfoot, Butterbur
Petasites palmatus
Family: Asteraceae or Compositae
What it is like
Bloom Color: Pink. Main Bloom Time: Late winter. Form: Spreading or horizontal.
Petasites palmatus is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.4 m (1ft 4in) by 1 m (3ft 3in) at a fast rate. It is in flower from February to April, and the seeds ripen in April. The species is dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required). and is pollinated by Insects. The plant is not self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist or wet soil.
Height (m): 0.4
Where it is found
Low woods, glades and damp clearings. Swamps and along the sides of streams.
N. America - Newfoundland to Massachusetts, west to Alaska and south to California.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 2
Young flower stalks, used before the flower buds appear, are boiled until tender and seasoned with salt. Flower buds - cooked. Leafstalks - peeled and eaten raw. The ash of the plant is used as a salt substitute. To prepare the salt, the stems and leaves are rolled up into balls whilst still green, and after being carefully dried they are placed on top of a very small fire on a rock and burned.
Stem: this often intergrades into leaves.
Salt: plants that provide a substitute for salt.
Medicine
Rating: 1
The roots have been used in treating the first stages of grippe and consumption. The dried and grated roots have been applied as a dressing on boils, swellings and running sores. An infusion of the crushed roots has been used as a wash for sore eyes. A syrup for treating coughs and lung complaints has been made from the roots of this species combined with mullein(Verbascum sp.) and plum root (Prunus sp.).
Pectoral: Relieves respiratory diseases, a remedy for chest diseases.
Salve: Soothes and heals damaged skin.
TB: Plants used in the treatment of tuberculosis
Other
Rating:
How it is grown
Landscape Uses:Seashore, Woodland garden. Succeeds in ordinary garden soil, but prefers a deep fertile humus-rich soil that is permanently moist but not stagnant, succeeding in shade, semi-shade or full sun. Requires a moist shady position. Plants can be grown in quite coarse grass, which can be cut annually in the autumn. Plants are hardy to about -20°c. A very invasive plant, too rampant for anything other than the wild garden. Dioecious, male and female plants must be grown if seed is required. Special Features:Attractive foliage, North American native, Invasive, Wetlands plant.
Propagating it: Seed - we have no information on this species but suggest sowing the seed in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe or in early spring. Only just cover the seed and do not allow the compost to dry out. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. Division succeeds at almost any time of the year. Very easy, larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Dappled Shade; Shady Edge; not Deep Shade; Meadow; Bog Garden;
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness: 6-10
Growth: Fast
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Full shade, semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist, wet