Family: daisies (Asteraceae)
Blooming time: March–May
Size: 10–40 cm (during flowering), up to 100 cm (after flowering)
Habitat: riparian zones of streams and rivers, marsh meadows and moist gravel
The sturdy stem of the common butterbur (Petasites hybridus) is during flowering leafed with reddish-brown scaly leaves. Round basal leaves with a heart-shaped base, with a diameter over 50 cm, develop only after flowering. The leaf blade of the basal leaves is initially gray-felted underneath, but later becomes smooth and green. At the top of the stem a composite inflorescence of reddish heads develops, from which in the male plants white stamens protrude. The heads of female plants are somewhat smaller and lack stamens. The common butterbur, in addition to medicinal compounds, also contains poisonous substances! Therefore, as medicinal plants, varieties that do not produce alkaloids are cultivated.
It is widespread throughout Slovenia.
