Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara. Compositae) can be found in damp places such as river beds, streams and ditches. Its leaves resemble both poplar leaves and the hooves of colts. The flowers appear before the leaves, which are paler on the underside and have a thick downy “web” on the upper side. The leaves are pleasantly fragrant and hold their scent on drying.
Coltsfoot is vitamin rich and, most importantly high in mucilage. The name “Tussilago” means “cough dispeller”, and this is the most common use for the herb.Coltsfoot is a common “smoking herb” and has been used, along with other ingredients, in well known herbal smoking mixtures. It has been used for asthma, bronchitis, excess phlegm and other congestions of the lungs. It may be as effective in tea form as it is in smoking form. It breaks up stubborn phlegm so it can be coughed up and eliminated more easily.
Other historical uses for Coltsfoot are pleurisy, pneumonia, tuberculosis, whooping cough, spasmodic cough, fevers, laryngitis, emphysema, eczema, sores, skin inflammations.
Coltsfoot contains small amounts of toxic compounds, which are destroyed by cooking. Eat sparingly if eating raw.
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