Kerstin Hinze / Honeybee (Apis melifera) flying around and nectaring from Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) flowers, Bavarian Forest National Park, Germany, April.

Geoff Simpson / Buttebur flower {Petasites hybridus} Cheshire, UK.

Geoff Simpson / Butterbur flower emerging {Petasites hybridus} Derbyshire Peak District NP, UK

Nigel Cattlin / Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) flowering on bank of Kennet and Avon Canal, near Hungerford, Berkshire, England, UK. April.

Nigel Cattlin / Butterbur (Petasites hybridus), on bank of Kennet and Avon Canal, Hungerford, Berkshire, England, UK. March.

Nigel Cattlin / Butterbur (Petasites hybridus), on bank of Kennet and Avon Canal, Hungerford, Berkshire, England, UK. March.

Kerstin Hinze / Greater bee fly (Bombylius) nectaring from Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) flowers, Bavarian Forest National Park, Germany, April.

Kerstin Hinze / Greater bee fly (Bombylius) nectaring from Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) flowers, Bavarian Forest National Park, Germany, April.

Kerstin Hinze / Greater bee fly (Bombylius) nectaring from Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) flowers, Bavarian Forest National Park, Germany, April.

Nature Production / Giant butterbur (Petasites japonicus) flower, Shirakami Sanchi UNESCO World Heritage Site, Yamamoto County, Akita Prefecture, Japan.

Paul Hobson / Butterbur (Petasites albus) purple flower morph, Lathkill Dale, Peak District, Derbyshire, England, UK, March.

MYN / Niall Benvie / Common butterbur (Petasites hybridus) Scotland, UK,

Gary K. Smith / Butterbur (Petasites) growing on the River Dove, Peak District National Park, Derbyshire, England, UK, July.

Willem Kolvoort / Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) along a small brook, central Holland. April.

Willem Kolvoort / Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) along small brook, central Holland. April.

Chris Mattison / Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) on the River Wye at Millers Dale, Derbyshire, Peak District, March.

Bernard Castelein / Common butterbur (Petasites hybridus) in flower, Texel, the Netherlands, April.

Bernard Castelein / Common butterbur (Petasites hybridus) in flower, Texel, the Netherlands, April.

Bernard Castelein / Common butterbur (Petasites hybridus) in flower in wetlands, Texel, the Netherlands, April.

Alex Hyde / Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) in flower, in habitat, Lathkill Dale, Peak District National Park, Derbyshire, UK. April.

Alex Hyde / Butterbur flowers (Petasites hybridus) Peak District National Park, Derbyshire, UK. April.

MYN / Marko Masterl / White Butterbur (Petasites albus) in flower, Slovenia, Europe, April Meetyourneighbours.net project

Laurie Campbell / Pink butterbur (Petasites hybridus) flowering, Berwickshire, Scotland, March

MYN / Niall Benvie / Creamy butterbur (Petasites japonicus) flower on white background, Scotland, UK, April meetyourneighbours.net project

Ernie Janes / Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) seen from a low angle. UK, April.

Will Watson / Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) and Opposite-leaved Golden Saxifrage (Chrysosplenium oppositifolium), Herefordshire, England, UK

Michel Roggo / Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) submerged underwater in spring, Saane river, Switzerland, April

Alex Hyde / Emerging Butterbur flower {Petasites hybridus} Peak District National Park, Derbyshire, UK. March 2009.

Wild Wonders of Europe / Wothe / Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) leaves, Poloniny National Park, Western Carpathians, Slovakia, Europe, May 2009

Jason Smalley / Butterbur flowerhead {Petasites sp} UK

Martin Gabriel / Butterbur {Petasites hybridus} flowering. Bavaria, Germany

MYN / Niall Benvie / Common butterbur {Pestasites hybridus} in flower, Angus, Scotland, UK meetyourneighbours.net project

Nature Production / Japanese Butterbur {Petasites japonicus} growing beside a mountain stream, Hokkaido, Japan

Philippe Clement / Butterbur flower and leaf {Petasites hybridus} France

Pascal Tordeux / Butterbur / Sweet Coltsfoot (Petasites hybridus). Picardy, France, July.

Paul Hobson / Butterbur plant flower {Petasites hybridus}, Derbyshire, England UK

Paul Harcourt Davies / White butterbur (Petasites albus) in flower, Viterbo, Lazio, Italy. March.

Will Watson / Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) male flowers, Herefordshire, England, UK. March. Focus stacked.

Will Watson / Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) male flowers, Herefordshire, England, UK. March. Focus stacked.

Linda Pitkin / Female flowers of Butterbur (Petasites hybridus), Surrey, England. March.

Linda Pitkin / Female flower of Butterbur (Petasites hybridus), Surrey, England. March.

Linda Pitkin / Female flower of Butterbur (Petasites hybridus), Surrey, England. March.

Alex Hyde / Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) in flower on river bank, Lathkill Dale, Peak District National Park, Derbyshire, UK. March.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Alpine butterbur (Petasites paradoxus). Dolomites, Italy. June.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Alpine butterbur (Petasites paradoxus). Sella Pass, Dolomites, Trentino, Italy. June.

Ernie Janes / Winter heliotrope (Petasites fragrans) garden flower, Norfolk, England, UK, January.

Ernie Janes / Winter heliotrope (Petasites fragrans) garden flower, Norfolk, England, UK, January.

Linda Pitkin / Butterbur (Petasites hybridus), female flowers on bank of River Wandle, Croydon, London, England, UK. March.

Linda Pitkin / Butterbur (Petasites hybridus), female flowers on bank of River Wandle,Surrey, England, UK. March.

Nigel Cattlin / Flower of common butterbur (Petasites hybridus) an early flowering composite plant, Devon, England, UK, January

Nigel Cattlin / Flower spikes and young leaves of common butterbur (Petasites hybridus) an early flowering composite plant, Devon,England,UK, January.

Linda Pitkin / Winter heliotrope (Petasites pyrenaicus, formerly P. fragrans), on roadside verge. Banstead, Surrey, England, December.

Linda Pitkin / Winter heliotrope (Petasites pyrenaicus, formerly P. fragrans), on roadside verge. Banstead, Surrey, England, December.

Linda Pitkin / Giant Butterbur (Petasites japonicus), on banks of ditch alongside main road, Surrey, England, March.

Linda Pitkin / Giant butterbur (Petasites japonicus), Abinger Bottom, Surrey, England, March.

Linda Pitkin / Giant butterbur (Petasites japonicus), Abinger Bottom, Surrey, England, March.

Linda Pitkin / Giant Butterbur colony (Petasites japonicus) Abinger Bottom, Surrey, England, March.

Linda Pitkin / Butterbur (Petasites hybridus), male flower. A rare/ scarce plant in Surrey. The Weypole, Box Hill, Surrey, England, March..

Linda Pitkin / Butterbur (Petasites hybridus), female flowers, England: Surrey, on bank of River Wandle, Croydon, near boundary with Beddington, March

Linda Pitkin / Butterbur (Petasites hybridus), female flower, England: Surrey, on bank of River Wandle, Croydon, near boundary with Beddington, March