Ah yes, Coltsfoot, that unassuming and sometimes alien-looking early wildflower. Actually, it really is alien to North America, having been introduced here from the Old World in the early part of the 20
th century. There seems to be controversy afoot regarding its potential health benefits because extracts have been shown to reduce inflammation in lab mice. So, if you have an angry mouse this wildflower might assuage its lividity. I must write that down. Oh yah, I just did. Anyway, Coltsfoot also may be hepatotoxic and also cause DNA damage thereby causing cancer, so give it a wide berth when you encounter it in the wild. As with so many complex chemical compounds, whether toxic or therapeutic, it is all a matter of dose. Its medicinal use was so thoroughly entrenched in Europe that its leaf was used as an apothecary symbol. Its leaves will not appear until the summer when the blooms are gone.
