Out in the Garden - Arctic Sweet Coltsfoot

Every spring I am delighted to see the emerging flowers of arctic sweet coltsfoot, Petasites frigidus var. palmatus, pushing out of the ground.  This Portland native has stems of white flowers (sometimes with a hint of pink) that emerge in March and April as a tight cluster but soon grow to nearly a foot tall.  These flowers are produced well before the leaves have emerged, making them easy to appreciate unobscured.  Once pollinated, the flowers turn into large seed heads that remind me of gigantic dandelions, providing a fun sense of whimsy. Just like dandelions, these seeds are carried far and wide by the wind due to the fine, fluffy hairs attached to the seeds. 

While the plant is setting its seeds, the leaves are quickly growing. What was once a field of white flowers quickly transitions to a mass of large, rounded, dissected leaves that reach up to 2 feet in height.  The leaves persist through the fall until the plant goes dormant.  Coltsfoot is deciduous, so all parts of the plant die back completely in the winter.

Coltsfoot is an easy-to-grow perennial given the right conditions, maybe a little too easy depending on the circumstances.  The plant thrives in wet environments, unsurprising given that it grows along stream banks and other water sources in its natural habitat.  I often see it growing beautifully in the forest understory along the Oregon coast.  In our garden, where it receives regular watering, it spreads aggressively by underground rhizomes.  It loves shade but will withstand some sun as long as it receives enough water.  In addition to spreading underground, it’s very effective at propagating by the wind-dispersed seeds.  This plant is undoubtedly a great choice for naturalizing wet, shady parts of the garden, but be sure to give it plenty of room as it does not play nicely with others.