Arrowleaf Sweet Coltsfoot
Petasites frigidus var. sagittatus
Arrowleaf Sweet Coltsfoot (Petasites frigidus var. sagittatus) is a rare native perennial with large, arrowhead-shaped basal leaves that are woolly underneath and a round cluster of creamy white to pinkish flower heads that rises before the leaves. In Minnesota it blooms May into June. In the Black Hills it grows in moist to saturated wetland ground along drainages and seeps. Photographed in the Black Hills.
Free photos from other sources
| Family | Asteraceae · Aster |
|---|---|
| Status | Native perennial |
| Blooms | May into June |
| Height | 15–60 cm (6–24 in) |
| Where | Moist to saturated wetland ground along drainages and seeps |
| Also called | Arrow-leaved Sweet Coltsfoot, Sweet-coltsfoot |
| Synonym | Petasites sagittatus |
| Listed | Rare in South Dakota: state rank S2 (imperiled), global rank G5. The Black Hills National Forest's 2023 assessment lists it as a likely species of conservation concern. |
Roots, seeds & germination
Root: A colonial root system that sends up rosettes of basal leaves.
Seed: Seeds have silky white hairs, so mature heads look like cotton balls.
How do you identify Arrowleaf Sweet Coltsfoot?
Look for arrowhead-shaped leaves, woolly underneath, rising straight from the ground in rosettes, often in colonies. The flower stalk comes first, with narrow, stalkless leaves that turn into bracts and a round-topped cluster 3 to 4 inches across. In seed, the heads look like cotton balls.
When does it bloom?
May into June.
Where does it grow?
Moist to saturated wetland ground along drainages and seeps in the Black Hills, in full sun to shade.
Other plants to compare
Sources: South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks: Rare Plants of South Dakota; Black Hills National Forest: At-Risk Species Assessment, October 2023; Minnesota Wildflowers: Sweet Coltsfoot; Go Botany, Native Plant Trust: Petasites frigidus.