Tussilago farfara - Colt's-foot - (Asteraceae)

This very early spring-flowering plant is common throughout the UK and Ireland and most northern European countries, too.

As soon as we get the first warm days of spring, coltsfoot burst into flower. They are plentiful in many parts of Wales and are particularly common on heavy clay soil beside streams and ditches.

Coltsfoot

The stems are reddish at first, paling to green as the flowers develop. In the picture above, the large rounded leaves are not yet visible; they generally appear as the flowers are fading.

Coltsfoot seed heads; the leaves are now easily visible