Arrow leaf coltsfoot, Petasites sagittatus

 Arrow leaf coltsfoot (Petasites sagittatus)

Petasites frigidus var sagittatus. Wet moist muddy bogs, fens, swamp marshes; a northern circumpolar turtle island plant common east of the Coast-Cascade into eastern Great Lakes region. Petasites is considered closely related to the European species Tussilago farfara, which is also often called coltsfoot. Both genera members of the Aster family (Asteraceae) and have broad leaves that appear depending on year and location after the flowers emerge in early spring. Many stands like this one don't flower early, or flower later in the year towards mid June. Other stands further East can have lobed palmate leaves resembling devil's club, which this local variety doesn't have. In earliest spring the leaves can resemble stinging nettle. Both varieties have large big big leaves by summer. The leaves here are large triangular, hairy felt underneath more conspicuous later in season, the leaves grow quite large, serrated, and have a salty taste. Flowers are asteraceae type on a raised stalk, upright flowering stem. Here growing with willow, alder, Lysichiton americanus -- skunk cabbage, swamp valerian, pioneer yellow violet, wild ginger, devil's club. 

Here growing with skunk cabbage,

     Wherever these plants grew together they were utilized as remedies for the often the same thing, all coming up at the same time early spring snow melt. Used topical with swamp Valariana, devil's club, willow, for pain relief salves oils. Internally devils club, arrow leaf colt's foot, used for lingering early spring infectious, contain sesquiterpene petasin, found in western coltsfoot is a smooth muscle relaxant, antispasmodic, useful in respiratory coughs colds and asthma and bronchitis attacks. Arrow leaf colt's foot root contains antispasmodic, isopetasin in coltsfoot  is antispasmodic and a vasodilator calcium channel blocker.  

     

This is a plant with wide historic folk usage however due to pyrrolizidine alkaloids present in the early leaves it is contradicted for internal use, as these are liver toxic and avoided by pregnant and lactating women. It is said the larger summer leaves and roots do not contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids, a plant to be used cautiously internally in small amounts focused on larger summer leaf or root, or used as a topical for neurological pain. 

       This is our other variety, Petasites frigidus -- arctic sweet coltsfoot, growing in another stand, a bit further along, growing in another low moist, yin, water spirit boggy, swampy place. It has palmate leaves, stems hairy, pronounced veining on underside of leaf.