Common Butterbur

Common Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) is a herbaceous perennial plant in the family Asteraceae, native to Europe and northern Asia. The flowers are produced in the early spring, before the leaves appear; they are pale pink, with several inflorescences clustered on a 5-20 cm stem. The leaves are large, on stout 80-120 cm tall stems, round, with a diameter of 40-70 cm.

It is also called Bog rhubarb, Devil's hat and Pestilence wort. Synonyms include P. officinalis, P. ovatus and P. vulgaris.

Herbalism

the herbalist Nicholas Culpeper called it "a great preserver of the heart and reviver of the spirits". Its many uses in folk medicine include applications as a diuretic and muscle relaxant, and to treat coughs, fever, wounds, stammering, headaches, asthma and stress. not all of these uses are supported by scientific research.

Further reading

• Howard, Michael. traditional folk Remedies (Century, 1987) P.111.