Arctic Sweet Coltsfoot, Sweet coltsfoot
Petasites frigidus

Family: Asteraceae

What it is like

A herb in the daisy family which keeps growing from year to year. It has creeping underground stems. The leaves are heart shaped. They have teeth around the edge and slight lobes. The leaves have white soft hairs underneath. There is a single leaf on each stem coming from the rhizome. The flowers are yellowish-white or red and in open spikes. The flowers appear before the leaves expand. There are 5-7 flowering heads at the top of the stem.

There are about 14 Petasites species.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows in wet or moist thickets. It can be in peaty tundra. It suits hardiness zones 5-10.

Countries/locations it is found in

Alaska, Arctic, Australia, Canada, Europe, North America, Mongolia, Russia, Scandinavia, Siberia, USA

How it is used for food

The young leaves are mixed with other greens and used as a potherb. The young stalks and flower heads are cooked and eaten. The roots are roasted and eaten. The leaves are dried, burned and crushed to produce a salt like flavouring. Caution: It contains alkaloids and should not be eaten by pregnant women.

Edible parts

Flowers, leaves, root, salt, stem

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Kamgyak, Llamquq

Synonyms

Nardosmia angulosa Kuprian.; Nardosmia angulosa Cass.; Nardosmia frigida (L.) Hook.; Nardosmia nivalis (B. D. Greene) Jurtzev; Tussilago frigida L.;