Petasites paradoxus - Alpine Butterbur

Phylum: Magnoliophyta - Class: Equisetopsida - Order: Asterales - Family: Asteraceae

This spring wildflower forms dense patches in shaded boggy places, often beside mountain roads and tracks. We have only seen it with the flowers and leaves appearing at the same time, unlike the Butterbur of lowlands whose flowers often precede the leaves by two or three weeks.

Description

Flowering spikes and leaves emerge from the ground in late March and April with flowers visible between April and June, depending on altitude. Typically 0.6 to 1m in height, in well-shaded locations we have found plants up to 1.4m tall. The toothed, heart-shaped green leaves have long purplish stems and are light-grey and distinctly hairy on their undersides. As with other butterbur species the leaves continue to grow after the flowers have gone to seed. Eventually leaves can expand to more than 30cm across.

The seedheads are similar to those of Coltsfoot, but rather than occurring singly they appear in lax spikes upon tall purple stems. They go to seed starting at the top, so it's possible to see the progression from flower to seed at the same time on a single plant.

Habitat

Often seen in damp, shaded places such as alpine roadsides, stream banks and ditches.

Distribution

Petasites paradoxus is native to mountainous parts of much of northern and central Europe. Its range extends into Asia. We have seen these striking plants in the Dolomite Mountains of Italy and in the Julian Alps in Austria, Italy and Slovenia.

Blooming times

April to June, depending on altitude.

Etymology

The genus name Petasites comes from the Greek noun 'petasos', meaning a broad-brimmed hat, a term also applied to the winged hat worm by Hermes, the messenger of the gods in Greek mythology (Mercury in Roman mythology); it is a reference to the broad leaves of plants in this genus. Also coming from Greek, the specific epithet paradoxus translates to 'contrary to expectations' or in this instance maybe even 'incredible.'

Similar species

Petasites hybridus, commonly called Butterbur, is a wildflower of damp disturbed roadside verges in lowland Britain and Europe. Winter Heliotrope, Petasites fragrans, has much shorter lax flower spikes that appear in winter and, as its scientific name suggests, it is a scented wildflower, whereas Butterbur and Alpine Butterbur have no discernible scent.

The Alpine Butterbur specimens shown on this page were photographed in Slovenia during late May.

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