Lone Coltsfoot Volunteers in the Lane

When the holiday season comes to the mountains of Pennsylvania not much greenery can be found other than that of the pines and hemlocks that grow in our forests.

By December the deciduous trees are bare, but a few plants will still show green parts as long as the weather is mild. Ferns, grasses and mosses may retain some greenery the whole year while other plants in protected areas may still support a few leaves for a while longer.

I was surprised to see new leaves on a Coltsfoot plant that volunteered in the middle of the lane. There it was this green plant among all the grey and brown.

Coltsfoot in the Lane Growing New Leaves
Coltsfoot in the Lane Growing New Leaves

Photo taken 5 Dec 2015. (Click on any photo to see a larger image.)

The small new leaves with their perfect edges and solid color surround the central stems that have a purple hue. The older, larger leaves look raggedy in contrast.

New Leaves of Coltsfoot in the Lane
New Leaves of Coltsfoot in the Lane

So, I’ve made a mental note (and this post!) to help me remember what the new coltsfoot plant looks like now so that we can check it out in Spring.

If we’re lucky enough to see flowers, photos will be posted here in March or April, depending on how late the frozen part of winter lasts.

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