Native Northwest Plant??

Discussion in 'Plants: Identification' started by tiger_lily, Apr 15, 2007.

  1. tiger_lily

    tiger_lily Active Member 10 Years

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    Can anyone identify this plant, it was growing in various locations, often near water, in the forestry roads near Hope, BC. It is thriving on our moist, shady hillside. It had a small fluffy white flowerhead in early spring (seen on top right) before the leaves emerged, and is breaking into flower again, with the larger white allium-like flowerhead. The leaves remind me of a small gunnera - they are about the size of my hand. I've checked out various native plant listings, can't find this one.
     

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    tiger_lily, Apr 15, 2007
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  2. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Coltsfoot (Petasites).
     
    Ron B, Apr 15, 2007
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  3. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Petasites frigidus, a species of butterbur.

    Coltsfoot is properly Tussilago farfara, which the mystery plant isn't.
     
    Michael F, Apr 16, 2007
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  4. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    "Colt's-Foot (Petasites frigidus var. palmatus)...COLT'S-FOOT is native from B.C. to Labrador, and south to a varying degree. It is also known as WESTERN or SWEET COLT'S-FOOT."

    --A.L. Jacobson, Wild Plants of Greater Seattle

    There are no proper common names for plants.
     
    Ron B, Apr 16, 2007
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  5. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Sorry, Jacobson is wrong, a later misapplication of the name. See e.g. the Oxford English Dictionary:

    And of course there are proper common names for plants.
     
    Michael F, Apr 16, 2007
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  6. tiger_lily

    tiger_lily Active Member 10 Years

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    Thanks to you both, Ron & Michael. Petasites frigidus works for me! I am very happy to know what I have spreading in my garden. :-)
     
    tiger_lily, Apr 16, 2007
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  7. Ken R

    Ken R Active Member

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    I recall reading long ago that the common name "coltsfoot" got transplanted by European settlers in much the way that the name "robin" did for the common garden bird.

    That is, homesick early settlers saw Petasites, a spring bloomer, and said, "That kind of reminds me of coltsfoot." The name stuck. So we have two different plants with the same moniker.

    The ornithologists of the world have standardized common names, and our North American Turdus migratorius is officially "American robin". But the average North American still just calls it a robin.

    Has any group standardized common botanical names? I confess, I don't know.

    Even if there were standard names, I suspect that they wouldn't displace the local names in everyday speech.
     
    Ken R, Apr 16, 2007
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  8. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Ron B, Apr 16, 2007
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