Explore Outdoors ~ Not a Dandelion

 

The earliest wildflower on our hill is this one. 

It may look like a dandelion...

• it's yellow
• it's shaggy

 But it's not a dandelion.

It's coltsfoot. 

Like the dandelion, coltsfoot is introduced. And like the dandelion, people use the leaves, flower and root. Instead of salad, fritters, and coffee, coltsfoot is used to treat coughs and sore throats.

Here's how to distinguish between them:

 

Dandelion leaves emerge before the flower; coltsfoot flowers emerge before the leaves.

Dandelion stems are green with tiny (almost imperceptible) hairs; coltsfoot stems are a bit grayer and look like they have brownish scales on them.

Dandelion flower heads have hair all over; coltsfoot flowers have a center of bumps. Like this one.

This week we're Going On a Lion Hunt ~ 

Dandelions, that is. Look for plants with shaggy yellow flowers. Then take a closer look.

• Stem: what color is it? how tall is it? does it have hairs?
• Leaves: what shape are they? how long? do they grow on the stem or only at the base? do they have smooth edges? are they notched?
• Flower: are the petals thin? are they thick? are they everywhere or is there a center?

Coltsfoot isn't the only dandelion fooler. Here are some others.