Ligularia a  large rather regal , imposing perennial . Not many perennials offer both  decorative foliage and striking flower displays.A tall plant suitable for the   back of the border or as specimen plants for garden focal points that contribute  an architectural interest they are second to none. they are happy in either sun or shade ,as long as they have moist soil so need a constant supply of water, If your garden statement is big bold and beautiful Ligularia  should be your  ultimate signature  plant !

Gardeners  are often  on the lookout for those perennial plants that will create a stir in the garden draw the eye and make you catch your breath a little an impact plant. Ligularia a Tall perennial  with showy flowers and large leaves fills this role quite well.

Ligularia -Also known as Leopard Plant, Ragwort, Rayflower, or Golden Groundsel
Ligularia are a group of hardy perennials that can reach from 12 in to about 70 in in height
Among the most popular ornamental Ligularia used by north american gardeners  there are three main  flower types depending of course on which variety of ligularia you choose, the flowers present themselves  in mid to late summer early fall ,on either .tall narrow spikes; elongated cone-shaped spikes or flat-topped clusters of flowers, all similar in apperance to the daisy or common aster to which they are related .   The leaves of the ligularia depending on the variety may be rounded or triangular in outline, with or without serrated edges,green to deep brown or darkish red in hue.

They have tall flower stalks that rise out from the midst large leaves. Many people grow Ligularia just for its large attractive leaves some even going to the extent of cutting away the flowers when they blossom. The flowers by comparison to other plants may perhaps be a little on the short lived side but they are in my opinion a definite worthwhile contribution to many shady spots around the yard which the ligularia favor.The plump, large leaves almost form into rosettes  in some strains looking very much like a lily pad  the leaves can be either round or kidney-shaped or  are sometimes even toothed or spotted . The leaves grow to be very large, possibly even  rhubarb like, because of this ligularia is sometimes referred to as   ‘elephant ears’.Ligularia  a bold perennial plant for use in the garden in either island beds or perennial flower  borders  .gets  Its name  from the in Latin word  ligula , which means little tongue, referring perhaps to the tongue like shape of the large petal on each of the ray flowers  Ligularias do best in partial shade and good, humus-rich garden soil that is kept evenly moist. Since the roots form large clumps, plenty of space should be allowed between plants
All varieties of ligularia are large plants that thrive in the bog gardens or in the shallow boggy areas beside ponds where they get the consistently moist soil that they love. Ligularia is  a true bog plant & can have water up to the head of the root system without harm to the main plant.

Big, bold, beautiful Ligularia are herbaceous perennials that will do quite well in sunny locations but are more at home in moist damp and  shady locations as they originated in China and Japan where they are found in damp woodland areas under  the dappled shade of trees beside  ponds and along stream banks —if you can  recreate this environment in your garden  any  Ligularia will be extremely happy to live their for years and years.Their large, often somewhat succulent appearing  leaves require almost endless supplies of water to keep them hydrated firm and upright. If a Ligularia  is planted in a  position that receives a lot of  sunlight it will unashamedly wilt  till the sun passes on to another part of the yard  at which point it will miraculously revive. This will even  occur even if the ligularia is planted in a moisture retentive soil. the ligularia fond gardener must seek to strike a happy balance between moisture and sun light in order to keep the Ligularia  happy and looking its best.  If you want to try ligularia in your yard and you have no alternative than to situate them  in a sunny location, expect regular wilting and revival, . In the short term where gardeners may rearrange the gardens every few years , this constant wilt and revive  while the sun passes over head doesn’t appear to effect the ligularia over much as they live for several years. But when planning for the long term where gardens may be undisturbed for years the ligularia’s , health and strength  and indeed its  longevity must be affected in some way as it is not natural to them to be planted in sunny dry locations so  if you  garden and wish ligularia to be really happy and apart of your garden  for the long haul — plant Ligularia  in the shade with a moisture retentive soil ligularia  can even withstand boggy soil. They are ideal for planting behind a water feature I have one that lives very happily in a bog garden next to my pond.The only real problem with Ligularia that I have encountered is the fact that  slugs and snails love to feast on them , my ligularia are part of my pond scape I have gained the upper hand with the slugs by completely surrounding the pond area with sharp gravel over which it appears they do not like to travel .The large, fleshy leaves  of the ligularia are a slug favorite , so unless you have a strict regime for slug and snail control, you will have to resign yourself  to a few holes in the leaves of these plants.

Ligularia Varieties

Ligularia stenocephala ‘The Rocket’

The tallest and possibly the most awe inspiring at least to this gardener is  Ligularia is L. stenocephala “The Rocket. This variety  can reach heights of over 7ft tall  making it an imposing and dramatic  plant for any garden  The leaves are dark green, kind of triangular in shape with irregularly tooth leaf edges . The flower stems are dark purple and contrast vividly in color  with the narrow yellow spires of blossom that occur in late summer as shining beacons in the dappled shade beneath the trees the . Individual flowers on the spires are tiny  but the ligularia makes up for this short coming by producing several hundreds of them in compensation . Similar to “the Rocket ” but not as tall  are  L. przewalskii whose leaves are a bit more jagged  than ‘The Rocket’  ‘Zepter’ is another look-alike but has giant , slightly-toothed leaves. Then there is L. wilsoniana which displays its blossoms on much thinner spires and has more  rounded, shallowly-toothed leaves. If space is a consideration, and you wish still to try ligularia you can try the newest cultivar called ‘Little Rocket’ that tops off at just over 3 ft.

Among the most popularly grown varieties  of the flat-topped Ligularia is L. dentata. There are several named cultivars within this group . All have  very  large, rounded, somewhat cup shaped leaves  They produce large  groups of yellow/orange daisy-like flowers at the end of thick stems rising from  the middle of the plant ‘Othello’ maybe  perhaps the most well known variety .Othello bears gorgeous dark purple leaves which contrast vividly with the orange/yellow blossoms. Other look-a likes  include ‘Dark Beauty’ and ‘Britt-Marie Crawford’. The variety ‘Desdemona’ is quite similar to look at at first glance but on scrutiny its  its leaves are not as dark. ‘Sommergold’ is a green-leaved cultivar.

One last species which I must draw your attention to is ligularia  tangutica I have not grown or seen this one other than in pictures. The leaves are deeply divided, looking almost like a a fern to me The individual yellow flowers are very tiny but are produced in  large quantities in a plume like display . In my opinion it is one of  the most distinctive of all the  Ligularia varieties  and perhaps the most beautiful and elegant of them all and I would dearly like to acquire one. Another similar in leaf elegance at least is s Ligularia Japonica and is a little more readily available.

Propagation: By division in spring or from seed.

How to grow Ligularia from seed

Ligularia can be grown outdoors from seeds, the ligularia seed  should  be sown on the surface of the soil in either in the fall or just  before the last frost of spring. They prefer to inhabit the less sunny areas of the garden but are just as able to tolerate a little sunshine if the . The soil they  grow in is always kept moist. Liguaria lend themselves to winter sowing .

When  sowing Ligularia seedlings indoors then they should be prepared about one and a half months before it is time to plant them  in the garden in the spring. They take anywhere from two to six weeks to germinate at 12 to 18 degrees.All species  of ligularia enjoy  cool moisture retentive soils, when starting them from  seed. keep the soil medium moist but not wet. Germination takes a number of weeks the ligularia  seedlings start off slowly. it’s crucial  that the pots or trays do not dry out during this germination period. It can take up to  two weeks from the time the seed sprouts before the leaves begin to emerge above the soil  Allowing the soil mixture to Dry out during this time period is most often fatal to the ligularia seedlings . when the seedlings have sprouted they spend the first few months growing a taproot.Once seedlings have reached an appropriate size and it will not take them long as they are fast growing plants with deep roots that do best in deep, humus rich, moist soils. Move them to there growing position preferably in at least part shade.

Caring for Ligularia plants

Ligularia are a fairly easy perennial  plant to look after, their main requirement is plenty of water  regular watering  to maintain moist soil is essential besides that  a small amount of fertilizer applied in spring and summer is about all they need . After flowering has finished cut back the stalks just to keep them looking neat . At the end of the growing season in the fall some gardeners  cut back their  Ligularia plants to ground level in order to  encourage more  vigorous growth.  Ligularia should be divided every three or four years  during in the spring months  Once plants are large they are easy to divide, the hardest part is getting them dug from the ground- do not worry about cutting off most of the roots- they often will go 4 to 8 feet deep in the right soils. Once you have the plants dugout from the ground , use a sharp knife and cut the crowns into sections similar ly to how you would divide a Hosta. Division is best in early spring or late summer. Ligularia will often self seed and they can and do hybridize between the different species ,often  forming interesting offspring  They are not true shade plants-  They will perform best in open bright shade with several  hours of dappled sun.

Light:
Partial shade / Part Sun
Zones:4-9
Plant Type:
Perennial
Plant Height:
3-7 feet tall, depending on variety
Plant Width:
2-4 feet wide, depending on variety
Landscape Uses:
Containers, Beds & Borders
Special Features:
Flowers, large plants large Attractive Foliage,
Fall Color, Attracts Butterflies, Tolerates Wet Soil,
Deer Resistant, Easy to Grow.

Great companion plants for growing with Ligularia would be some of the taller light and airy ferns,or  Thalictrum aquilegifolium (meadow rue)or an Astilbe. Add color variation to the Ligularias foliage display with almost any medium to large Hosta planted near by , especially the golden or variegated hosta varieties .
For a garden focal point , it’s hard to beat Ligularia as its a real drama queen . Even when not in flower, its foliage is extremely beautiful and  impressive. If diligent with slug and snail control and sufficient water is provided , any gardener will be rewarded with vital and healthy beautiful Ligularia, the ultimate show stopping plant the epitome of  big, bold and beautiful.