growing by the canal

Not sure what it is. Interesting :o)

Irish. It looks like Butterbur.

Yes I think it is Butterbur , it grows in the boggy area of a stream near us !

thanks guys, i googled Butterbur.
it certainly seems to be that

Wow! a Fab Pic of Butterbur going into Wildflowers Eileen :)

thanks Jacque

No Thank U Eileen for the Pic iv never seen1 b4 :)

Yep, butterbur, here we call it coltsfoot. I like to catch the flowers, so unusual and short lived. I collect the leaves to relieve a cough. Throw in some willow bark and you've got tthe makings for a nice all around cold remedy.

sounds like a good remedy

Greenthumb how do you make that mixture exactly , I like to make natural remedys if I can , Thanks :o)

Amy. You take one large glass, pour in a good measure of whisky, pick two leaves of butterbur, throw the leaves on the compost heap and drink whats in the glass.
Hi Greenthumb. Over here Coltsfoot is a different plant which has yellow flowers.

Oh Toto ... LOL... I was writing that down very seriously untill I reached the part about the compost heap .. LOL ..

lol

My recipe won't cure you cough Amy, but at least you won't care.

lol....There is debate whether these plants are the same genera or not. Ours does flower pale yellow. Petasites and Tussilago are both botanical names for these, some say they're different, others, the same.

Amy

Simmer 1 cup fresh leaves (and a few strips of willow bark) in 2 cups water until one cup remains. Strain and discard herbs. Add 1 cup honey and heat until thick and syrupy. Take one teaspoon as needed. Keep in a cool place. The willow is for aches and pains, it will make the mixture more bitter.

;-)

Thanks Greenthumb , I read it all this time just in case there were any more silly Totos ... .. I,ve got it written down . does it keep or do you make a fresh batch each time ?

My hubby would love your recipe Toto he likes a drop of whiskey . ..

It'll keep, just makes sure to keep it in a dark glass bottle, light can breakdown the active ingredients. I just was looking at Deida's pic of the tussilago (coltsfoot) flower over there, and ours look just like this flower not that, except yellow. I can see now why some class them as different plants.

Simple tonic, hope it works well for you. Willow is a natrual aspirin and I just read you can get similar effect from leaves or bark.

Ah yes Greenthumb , I hadn,t thought of that .. I have to take an Aspirin each day with a blood pressure pill , it might not be a good idea to take an extra dose ! what do you think ?

I can't believe its not Butterbur !

lol good one

lol, same stuff aspirin and willow, Amy. Probably best not to take, straight from the herb, the dosage isn't measurable.