Petasites frigidus (L.) Fr.

Rhizomatous perennial; basal lvs long-petioled, glabrous or sparsely hirsute above, loosely white-tomentulose beneath, large, 5–40 cm wide, palmately or pinnipalmately veined and lobed and also ± toothed; stem 1–5 dm, with parallel-veined bracts 2.5–6 cm, the lower sometimes with an abortive blade at the end; heads campanulate in a corymbiform or racemiform infl; invol 5–9 mm; fls whitish, the outer 10–25 in pistillate heads with short rays 2–7 mm; 2n=60(–62). Meadows, swampy places, and moist woods; circumboreal, s. in Amer. to Mass., Mich., Minn., and Calif. Apr.–July. Nearly all our plants belong to var. palmatus (Aiton) Cronquist, with the lvs palmately cleft well over half way to the base. (P. palmatus) A few plants from n. Minn. and n. Mich. (and northward) with the lvs palmately or pinnipalmately cleft not more than about half way to the base, may reflect hybridization with no. 2 [Petasites sagittatus (Banks) A. Gray]. The name P. ×vitifolius Greene is available for these.

It is a temperate plant. It grows in wet or moist thickets. It can be in peaty tundra. It suits hardiness zones 5-10.

The young leaves are mixed with other greens and used as a potherb. The young stalks and flower heads are cooked and eaten. The roots are roasted and eaten. The leaves are dried, burned and crushed to produce a salt like flavouring. Caution: It contains alkaloids and should not be eaten by pregnant women.

Can be grown by divisions or seedlings.