What does butterbur mean?
The butterbur is a robust herbaceous plant belonging to the genus Petasites, found across Europe, northern Asia, and North America, where it favours damp ground such as riverbanks, marshes, and woodland edges. It is best known for two striking features: its flower spikes, which emerge on thick stems in earliest spring before any foliage appears, and its enormous rounded leaves, which can grow so large they were once used to wrap butter for storage — the origin of the plant's common name. In modern usage, the word appears most frequently in botanical and horticultural contexts, but it also has a place in herbal medicine, since purified extracts of certain species, particularly common butterbur (Petasites hybridus), have been studied as a preventive treatment for migraine. The term carries a mildly old-fashioned, rural connotation, evoking cottage gardens and traditional remedies, yet it remains current in scientific literature and supplement labelling alike.
nounA plant of the genus Petasites, native to Europe, northern Asia, and North America, having large rounded leaves and clusters of small flowers; extracts of certain species are used in herbal medicine, especially as a treatment for migraine.
- Any herbaceous plant of the genus Petasites, noted for its very large basal leaves and dense flower spikes that appear before the leaves in spring.
- An extract prepared from the roots or leaves of Petasites hybridus (or related species), used in herbal medicine chiefly to prevent migraine headaches.
"The damp banks of the stream were shaded by great drifts of butterbur, its leaves broad enough to wrap a picnic in."
"In early spring the marshy hollow was crowded with the pale flower spikes of butterbur, long before any leaf had opened."
"Some migraine sufferers report fewer attacks after taking standardized butterbur extract daily."
Used when referring to several individual plants or multiple species of the genus.
"Several species of butterburs are grown ornamentally for their dramatic foliage."
Before modern medicine, people literally wrapped butter in butterbur leaves to keep it cool and fresh — which is exactly how the plant got its name.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of butterbur
The word butterbur is an English compound dating from at least the early seventeenth century, formed simply from "butter" and "bur", the latter referring to its coarse, burdock-like appearance. The name arose because the plant's broad leaves were traditionally used in England to wrap and store butter, keeping it cool in the days before refrigeration. The scientific genus name Petasites comes from the Greek petasos, a wide-brimmed felt hat, a reference to the sheer size of the leaves. Related vernacular names include pestilence wort, reflecting the belief that the plant could ward off plague.
How butterbur is actually used
"Butterbur" is a botanical and herbal-medicine term rather than everyday vocabulary; it appears most often in gardening, natural history writing, and discussions of herbal supplements. The name is applied to all species of the genus Petasites, though "common butterbur" typically refers specifically to Petasites hybridus. Because raw parts of the plant contain liver-toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids, medicinal products must be specially processed to be safe — a point often raised when the word is used in health contexts.
Easily confused with butterbur
Burdock is a different plant (Arctium) with prickly burs that inspired the name of Velcro, whereas butterbur (Petasites) has smooth, enormous leaves and no clinging seed heads.
A buttercup is a small yellow-flowered meadow plant, while a butterbur is a much larger-leaved plant with pale pinkish or whitish flower spikes.