Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara) Weed Management
Coltsfoot also known by its botanical name of (Tussilago farfara) and is part of the Daisy family Asteraceae or Compositae. It is also known as assfoot, coughwort, horsefoot, foulfoot. It's native area is Europe and some parts of Western and Central Asia. In the United States it is typically found in the northeastern United States to Minnesota and south to Maryland, Virginia and Kentucky.
It is an invasive weed that will grow well and be hearty in zones 3 to 7. Plant can be potentially toxic in large doses. It likes damp areas and is more than likely found on alkaline clay soils and survive were other plants would not.
You can find them along roadways in open forests and in pastures and along rivers. They can also be found along sunny sidewalks and in rocky fields. May also be found in coastal zones. This herbaceous perennial has the ability to grow up to 0.5m (1.6ft) but is usually found smaller. It likes to spread with clonal growth.
Coltsfoot will spread and grow with the means of creeping rhizomes and airborne seeds. The Coltsfoot weed is pollinated by butterflies and bees. The tops of the leaves are glabrous while underneath they will have white, short, matted, woolly hairs.
The yellow flowers of the Tussilago farfara can be found early in the spring before the leaves even have a chance to develop. As with dandelions the Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara) will flower and that will mature into white balls with seeds. The seeds will release and float away with the wind and have known to travel up to 7 1/2 miles. Unlike the dandelions though, the Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara) flowers will arise, mature and then will died back before the leaves appear. 
If left alone they can crowd out other plants that have been planted or even native species. The plant will flower early and can sometimes come up through the snow and still disperse the seeds ahead of any of the native plants in the area.
Control or managing Coltsfoot
- Best method for control is hand pulling the weed and making sure the roots are pulled. You can use a dandelion fork to help dig out. Pulling the coltsfoot weed is easier when the soil is damp. If small root left it can grow into new plants.
- Spray in the spring and summer using a herbicide such as Round-up that contains glyphostae can be very effective against the Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara) weed. Make sure you protect surrounding plants as you do not want to kill other plants in the surrounding area.
- Combination of hand pulling and herbicide may be needed in more difficult areas.
- Follow-up treatment at least every three months to stop Rootstock and rhizomes root sprout and eradicate Coltsfoot the weed.
- Prevent seeding by removing the tops and not allowing the flower to go into seeds.
- Remove the leaves off of the plant will starve the rhizomes and will dry them out in hot weather.
- If you have a widespread cloltsfoot weed control problem your best method of control is to use a herbicide over the complete area. Roundup is an effective control herbicide against cloltsfoot as the herbicide contains glyphosate. Using a broad-spectrum herbicide can help but you must protect the other plants around the area that is being treated otherwise it will kill plants that you do not want affected.
