Coltsfoot: traditional uses, how it is prepared, and when to leave it alone

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Coltsfoot pushes up yellow flowers on bare stems in late winter, long before its hoof-shaped leaves appear. Herbalists have used flowers and leaves for centuries in cough syrups and infusions. This page sets out what the plant contains, the forms it is prepared in, what tradition credits it with — and the very real reasons it is a plant for short, occasional use only.

What the plant contains

The flower heads are the richer part in aromatic compounds, the leaves in minerals and mucilage.

• Flowers: zinc, vitamin C, flavonoids (a dietary source of antioxidants), roughly 10% phenolic tannin compounds, about 8% mucilage (a plant substance also sold as a fibre supplement), and tussilagone.
• Flowers, also: compounds known to be poisonous, because pyrrolizidine alkaloids have been identified in them.
• Leaves: inulin, essential oil, an antibiotic substance, minerals (potassium, magnesium, calcium, silicon, iron, phosphorus, sodium, sulphur), vitamin C, sap, tannin compounds, 6 to 10% mucilage and potassium nitrate.
• Leaves, also: toxic compounds, again among them pyrrolizidine alkaloids.

What it is credited with

• Coughs and tickly throats: in traditional European and Asian herbalism, flowers and leaves were the classic antitussive, taken as syrup or infusion — the whole reason for the plant’s name.
• Chesty, rattling coughs: Chinese tradition mixed the flowers with honey for this purpose; European herbalists used a tincture of the flowers for the same kind of complaint.
• Emollient and soothing reputation: the mucilage content is why herbalists class it among the softening, coating plants for irritated throats.
• Expectorant reputation: traditional use credits the flowers with helping loosen and bring up phlegm.
• Loose bowels: a tincture made from the leaves was traditionally taken to settle diarrhoea, the tannins being the reason usually given.
• Skin and knocks: a poultice of fresh leaves, or leaves steeped overnight in water, was traditionally laid on minor burns, slow-healing spots and sprains.
• Sweaty feet: folk practice used a cooled decoction of the leaves as a footbath.
• A historical note, not a recommendation: for a long time dried, fermented leaves were smoked like tobacco, sometimes blended with sweetscented bedstraw and horse chestnut leaves. Smoking any plant material is not something to take up.

How to use it

Infusion (the everyday form)

• Put a teaspoon of dried flowers or chopped dried leaves in a cup.
• Pour on water at a rolling boil, cover, and leave for ten minutes.
• Strain well through a fine sieve or cloth — the flower down is unpleasant to swallow.
• Sweeten with honey, which is how tradition almost always served it.
• Traditional practice was a cup on waking and a cup before bed, when a tickly cough is at its worst.
• Keep it to a short spell of a few days at a time, not a daily habit.

Honey syrup

• Steep flowers in a little hot water, strain, then stir the liquid into runny honey while still warm.
• Bottle, label, keep in the fridge and use within a couple of weeks.
• Taken by the spoonful; the taste is sweet with a faint hay note.

Tincture

• Flowers or leaves are steeped in spirit, then strained and bottled dark.
• Taken in drops in a little water — far more concentrated than tea, so this is the form to be most sparing with.
• Buying a ready-made tincture from a herbalist is more reliable than guessing at home.

Poultice and footbath

• Poultice: crush fresh leaves, or soak them overnight in cold water, lay them on the skin and hold with a cloth. Apply to unbroken skin only.
• Footbath: simmer a handful of leaves in about a litre (a quart) of water for ten minutes, let it cool to comfortable, then soak the feet.

In the kitchen

• Flowers are edible raw, scattered over a mixed salad, or briefly cooked.
• Leaves are eaten raw only when picked very young and tender.
• Sieved ashes of dried leaves have long been used as a savoury seasoning in place of salt, useful on a salt-free diet.
• Culinary use should stay occasional and in small amounts, for the same reason as the tea.

Frequently Asked Questions

The one thing to remember: a weak, well-strained infusion of flowers with honey, for a few days at most — coltsfoot is a short-term plant, never a daily one.

Which part should I use, flowers or leaves?

Both are used, and the tradition splits by country: France and China favour the flowers, while in the United States the leaves are preferred for their higher content of active ingredients. For a soothing cup with honey, the flowers are the easier and pleasanter choice.

How long can I keep drinking it?

Keep it to a few days at a time. Because of the pyrrolizidine alkaloids it contains, concentrated preparations and long courses are exactly what to avoid. If nothing has shifted after a short spell, stop and ask a professional.

Can I smoke coltsfoot, as people used to?

It was indeed dried, fermented and smoked like tobacco for centuries, sometimes blended with other leaves and sweetened with honeyed water. It is a historical practice, not a recommendation: inhaling smoke of any kind is not something to take up.

Is coltsfoot safe for children?

It is not recommended for children under the age of six, and it should also be avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and by anyone with a liver condition. For older children, ask a pharmacist or herbalist first.

Can I eat it?

Yes, in small amounts. The flowers are edible raw in a mixed salad or lightly cooked, and very young leaves are eaten raw. Sieved ashes of the dried leaves have long served as a salt substitute for salt-free diets.

This information is provided for general interest and reflects the traditional use of plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice. If you are on medication, pregnant, or in any doubt, ask a healthcare professional.