Colt's-Foot

Colt's-Foot (Tussilago farfara) is in the Sunflowers, Daisies, Asters, and Allies family (Asteraceae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 3,730 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in April.

Nationally it blooms mainly from March to April, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.

When to photograph Colt's-Foot: observations by month (U.S.)

About Colt's-Foot

Tussilago farfara, commonly known as coltsfoot,:770 is a plant in the groundsel tribe in the daisy family Asteraceae, native to Europe and parts of western and central Asia. The name "tussilago" is derived from the Latin tussis, meaning cough, and ago, meaning to cast or to act on. It has had uses in traditional medicine, but the discovery of toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids in the plant has resulted in liver health concerns.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.

Colt's-Foot by state

Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.

Related wildflowers (Sunflowers, Daisies, Asters, and Allies)

black-eyed SusanRudbeckia hirta

Common YarrowAchillea millefolium

White SnakerootAgeratina altissima

ChicoryCichorium intybus

Lawn daisyBellis perennis

Philadelphia fleabaneErigeron philadelphicus

Pearly EverlastingAnaphalis margaritacea

Blue MistflowerConoclinium coelestinum

Photography tips

• Photograph flowers on calm, overcast mornings to avoid wind blur and harsh shadows.
• Get low: a shallow depth of field (f/2.8–f/5.6) isolates a bloom against soft color.
• Stay on trails — trampling meadows kills plants and ruins next year's display.
• Try a kaleidoscope abstract of a single bloom with our online kaleidoscope tool.

FAQ