Noxious Weeds Profile - Colt's Foot

Table of Contents

  1. Names
  2. Photos
  3. Current Status
  4. Poisonous/Cautions
  5. Distribution
  6. Growth Habit
  7. Method of Propagation
  8. Control
  9. Other Comments
  10. Related Links

Names

  • English - colt's-foot
  • French - tussilage pas-d'âne
  • Latin - Tussilago farfara L.

Photos

Colt's foot. A. Flowering shoots in early spring. B. Flower heads. C. Flower heads in seed in late spring, with young leaves.
Figure 1. Colt's foot.

  • A. Flowering shoots in early spring.
  • B. Flower heads.
  • C. Flower heads in seed in late spring, with young leaves.

Colt's foot. Vegetative (leafy) stage in summer and fall.

Figure 2. Colt's foot. Vegetative (leafy) stage in summer and fall.

Current Status

  • Ontario Weeds Act - noxious
  • Other provinces - none
  • Canadian Federal Seeds Act - no
  • U.S. Federal Noxious Weed - no
  • U.S. Noxious State Reg - Oregon

Poisonous/Cautions

  • Pub 505 - none indicated
  • NE Weeds - not included
  • Canadian Poison Plant - not listed
  • Cornell Poison Plant - not listed

Distribution

  • Introduced from Europe and has naturalized in forest, fields, alongs roads, river banks, ravines thorughout southern and eastern Ontario.

Growth Habit

  • Perennial

Method of Propagation

  • Seeds, Wind blown, Roots/rhizome

Control

  • Best time to control is in June-July using medium to high rates of glyphosate. 2,4-D and dicamba generally less than satisfactory. Not listed on any labels. Cutting has very little effect.

Other Comments

  • Quite common in quarries and gravel pits and is frequently spread in this manner. It is difficult to control in this situation. Can be a problem in some crop situations but it has not developed to be as serious of a problem as once thought that it might be.

For more information:
Toll Free: 1-877-424-1300
E-mail: ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca