Coltsfoot has a soothing expectorant and antispasmodic action. This common herb has a long history of use for the treatment of acute or chronic bronchitis, irritating coughs, and asthma. The plant’s botanical name means ‘cough dispeller’. Coltsfoot is the first flower to appear in early spring and is often mistaken for dandelion. Interestingly, the hoof-shaped leaves only appear when the flowers have died down, giving rise to the plant’s old name, filius ante patrem (son before father). In Paris, the flowers used to be painted on the doorposts of apothecaries shops.