Looking like a short dandelion, but with a much rounder middle, colt's-foot is a 'weed' of waste ground and field edges that brightens up early spring with its sunshine-yellow flower heads.
A common and creeping perennial of bare, damp or disturbed ground, colt's-foot can be found on waste ground, field edges and roadside verges. Sun-yellow, daisy-like, composite flower heads (made up to lots of tiny flowers) appear as early as February, and well before the hoof-shaped leaves (hence the common name). Colt's-foot continues to brighten up rough ground until April.
How to identify
Colt's-foot has large, yellow flower heads, similar to those of the common dandelion and cat's-ears, but their prominent, round middles give the identity of this plant away. Its flowers are borne on scaly stems and the leaves are rounded or heart-shaped.
Distribution
Widespread.
Did you know?
The fact that the flowers of colt's-foot appear before the leaves do has led to one of its other common names: 'Son-before-father'.
