Petasites hybridus
Asteraceae
March to May
It is found throughout the country.
See the BSBI distribution map for Butterbur
It grows in wet soils by canals, rivers, streams and lakes,
in meadows, marshes and damp waste ground, and beside
paths and roads.
Butterbur is a native, rhizomatous, speading herb, growing
to 1m+.
The flowering, pink spikes (mainly male plants) grow up
to 30cm, and appear before the leaves.
Male flowers are up to 12mm across and consist of a
tube with 5 spreading, petal-like ligules. and a protuding,
white, club-shape, sterile stigma.
Flower stems have scaly, leaf-like bracts.
The leaves are big and can reach 1m across and 1.5m
long.
The leaves were once used to wrap butter - hence
the name.
Butterbur spreads by rhizomes, which enable it to densely
cover large patches of ground.
Previous page: Bulbous Buttercup
Next page: Cherry Laurel
Butterbur flower spikes, Lancaster
Spike of male flowers
Close-up of male flowers with 5 pink
petal-like ligules
Male flowers with sterile stigmas
Flower stem with scaly bracts
Large leaf and flower spikes
Leaves in June by Lancaster Canal
Jungle of leaves
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