tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9661811.post111594063116382020..comments2024-02-18T12:18:45.788-05:00Comments on Sun and Shield: Small aster/compositeMartin LaBarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14629053725732957599noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9661811.post-1116805543212521452005-05-22T19:45:00.000-04:002005-05-22T19:45:00.000-04:00Greetings! I got here via a google search on "Narn...Greetings! I got here via a google search on "Narnia Puzzle Donkey", (which I linked, and hope you don't mind), then thought I'd take a look around.<BR/><BR/>Coltsfoot as I know it near Lake Erie, is a plant of 'waste places' such as raliroad right of ways and roadsides. It appears as a compound flower resembling a dandilion in color and size on a varigated stem of 4-10 or so inches high, usually two or three weeks before dandilion bloom. The leaves come out after the flowers head out, resembling in size and shape of a colts foot. The leaves have been historically used medicinally for fever, if I recall correctly. I have a good healthy patch in my barely mowed yard, which has gone to seed, but it now shows leaves. If I had a digital camera, I'd send a picture. :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13441809988487585009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9661811.post-1116525166661686482005-05-19T13:52:00.000-04:002005-05-19T13:52:00.000-04:00Martin, I have been enjoying your blog. Thanks for...Martin, I have been enjoying your blog. Thanks for posting. I must agree that the positive identification of the coltsfoot-type "weeds" is rather tricky. They grow a lot on the verges round here in the North of England. I have been trying to find some good examples of the plant called coltsfoot which is also known as "Rabbit Tobacco" because it is has traditionally been smoked by country people and oddly is known to help cattarhal problems - even smoked. I buy the dried herb to drink as a tea when I have a bad cough. It does seem to work. The species we get a lot of round here has a shallow but knotty root system that seems to be loved by grubs and maggots. I think the shape of the plant funnels water into the base of the stems and means it is always extra moist and rotty around the foot of the plant.<BR/><BR/>I am cultivating the habit of not calling weeds "weeds" - which is derogatory - but "volunteers". It credits these plants for their pluckiness in often being the first to colonise a new area rather than damning them for the fact the victorian haughyculturalists didn't like them in their lawns and borders. Volunteers are wonderful plants and many have value both as medicine and food as well as being quite pretty in their own way; like this one.<BR/><BR/>Keep up the good blogging :-)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13441809988487585009noreply@blogger.com