Coltsfoot Leaves, Flowers 100 g, 50 g, 25 g

Coltsfoot Leaves, Flowers – 100 g ($14.99), 50 g ($9.99), 25 g ($7.99)

Benefits:

Coltsfoot relieves congestion. This property makes it useful in treating bronchitis, cough, laryngitis, and pneumonia. Coltsfoot alkaloids are antibacterial and anti-inflammatory. It is used for mild inflammation of the oral and pharyngeal mucosa. It has been used in cigarettes to help cure smoking addiction.

Bronchitis, cough, laryngitis. Small doses of coltsfoot open the bronchial passages, although large doses close them. The herb also contains mucilages that coat the throat, relieving irritation.

Recommended Uses

Coltsfoot is traditionally used in tea form, although it also appears in over-the-counter (OTC) formulas for colds and congestion. You should not give coltsfoot to a child in cold-remedy form.

Wild coltsfoot contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, compounds that can induce liver cancer even in very small amounts. However, the amounts of these alkaloids that occur naturally in a standard dose of coltsfoot is less than one-hundredth of the amount that produces toxicity. Moreover, a genetically engineered variety of coltsfoot that contains none of the offending substances is now available. Therefore, you should use only a coltsfoot product that is certified pyrrolizidine-free. In particular, do not use tinctures. If other products with these alkaloids are used, you should not consume more than 1 microgram of total pyrrolizidine alkaloids with 1.2 unsaturated necine structure. The product should not be used for more than four to six weeks a year. When made with wild coltsfoot, such tinctures contain ten times the concentration of alkaloids as teas made with the same amount of the herb. In addition, wild coltsfoot tinctures can aggravate high blood pressure. No form of this herb should be used during pregnancy and lactation.

Botanical Name: Tussilago farfara
English: Coltsfoot, Cough Wort
Also, Known As: Horse Hoof, Bull’s Foot, Foal’s Foot, Huflattich, Tussilage, Tusilago, Tossalaggine, Fanjiun, Watpan Afangium, Ass’s Foot, Foalswort, Fieldhove, Bulls- foot, and Fanjiyun.
Habitat: England and Western Himalayas
Origin: Bulgaria
Harvested: Wild or Cultivated
Parts used: Leaves and Flowers

General Information:
Tussilago farfara is a perennial plant that looks like a dandelion when it blooms in spring. This wild edible plant is unusual in that the flowers bloom and die before the appearance of any leaves, which earned Coltsfoot the name of “son before the father” in earlier times. Before the introduction of matches, the felt-like covering of the plant, wrapped in a rag and dipped in a solution of saltpeter, was considered to be excellent tinder after being dried in the sun.

The bright yellow flowers appear early in the spring, prior to the emergence of any leaves. The top of the leaf surface is smooth and almost waxy in appearance, while the underside is covered with white, wool-like hairs. Plant height is between 10 and 17cm. Coltsfoot flowers are single, measuring about 2 cm across surrounded by involucre bracts. Flowers are bright yellow. have ray-florets with tongue-like pistillate flowers in many rows. It has five stamens. This flower is typically the first flower to appear in spring and withers away when the leaves appear.

The leaves are top ‘hoof-shaped’. Flowering stem leaves alternate, scale-like, reddish brown. Leaf surface is smooth and almost waxy in appearance, while the underside is covered with white, wool-like hairs. Blade broadly kidney shaped, 10-25 cm broad, with irregularly toothed margins. Coltsfoot can be hard to eradicate as a weed of cultivated ground and in yards because of its deep-reaching, layered root. Its large leaves shade the soil and stop other plants growing.

How to use:
Hot Infusion:
The basic method for dried herbs and flower is, take 2-3 tablespoons of dried herb in a cup or teapot. Pour hot water over it and cover it with lid for 10-30 minutes. Hot water is needed to draw out the antioxidants, enzymes, vitamins, flavonoids, and volatile oils from the botanicals. Strain and squeeze out as much as liquid as possible and enjoy!

Tips:
You can sweeten your herbal decoctions with honey, natural fruit juice, stevia leaves powder or licorice root powder.
You can make ice cubes or pops by freezing tea in ice trays or pop molds.

Precautions:
You should consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using any herbal products, particularly if you are