Leopard plant

Sun

Partial shade, preferably with morning sun and afternoon shade. Full sun is suitable only in cool climates where the soil stays consistently moist.

Water

Keep the root zone consistently moist. Water deeply during dry spells; this is not a drought-tolerant plant.

Soil

Humus-rich, moisture-retentive soil, including moisture-holding clay. Avoid dry, shallow soil and permanently submerged crowns.

Height

3-4 ft (0.9-1.2 m), including flower stems

Spread

2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m)

Flowers

Late summer to early autumn; yellow to orange-yellow daisies held in loose clusters above the leaves.

Foliage

Large, rounded to kidney-shaped leaves with toothed edges. The species is mainly green; some cultivars have purple undersides or dark purple young foliage.

Growth

Moderate; forms a substantial clump over several years.

Care needed

Medium

• Water at soil level whenever the root zone begins to dry, especially during establishment and hot weather.
• Spread compost around the clump in spring; rich soil usually needs little additional feeding.
• Apply 2-3 in (5-8 cm) of organic mulch to conserve moisture, keeping it clear of the crown.
• Protect emerging shoots from slugs and snails.
• Divide crowded clumps in spring when growth or flowering declines.

Pruning. Remove spent flower stems after flowering if you do not want seedlings. Cut dead leaves and stems back to the crown in late autumn or late winter, before new shoots emerge.

Early spring

Remove remaining dead growth and check emerging shoots for slug and snail damage.

Spring

Plant or divide clumps, water thoroughly, and apply compost and mulch.

Summer

Check soil moisture frequently and water deeply during dry spells.

Late summer

Remove fading flower stems if you want to limit self-seeding.

Late autumn

Cut down collapsed foliage, or leave sound stems until late winter.

• Plant beside a pond or stream, above the standing-water level, for bold foliage and late-season flowers.
• Combine with ferns and hostas in a moist, partly shaded border for contrasting leaf shapes.
• Use small groups beneath high, open-canopied trees where roots do not leave the soil dry.
• Pair with astilbes and Japanese primroses in a damp border to extend the flowering season.

Garden styles it suits: Woodland, Bog garden, Japanese, Cottage garden, Architectural minimal and Pacific Northwest woodland.

Plant it with: Hostas, Astilbes, Japanese painted ferns, Japanese primroses, Rodgersias and Siberian irises.

Wildlife: The open flowers attract bees, hoverflies and other flower-visiting insects.

• Slugs and snails chew young leaves: inspect at dusk, remove hiding places near the crown, and use iron phosphate bait according to its label if needed.
• Leaves wilt in hot sun: provide afternoon shade and check soil moisture before watering; temporary midday drooping can occur even in moist soil.
• Brown leaf edges develop in dry soil or drying winds: water deeply, mulch, and move the plant to a more sheltered position if necessary.
• Crowns can rot in stagnant, waterlogged soil: keep the crown above standing water and improve drainage without allowing the root zone to dry out.

Species-specific toxicity information is limited, so its safety for people, cats, dogs and horses is uncertain. The toxic parts and likely severity are not reliably established; do not eat it or allow pets or livestock to graze it.

• Japanese leopard plant (Farfugium japonicum)

  Usually has glossy, leathery, mostly evergreen leaves and flowers later in autumn. Ligularia dentata has more distinctly toothed leaves and dies back for winter.

• Przewalski's ligularia (Ligularia przewalskii)

  Has deeply cut leaves and narrow, upright spikes of yellow flowers rather than broad leaves and loose clusters of daisies.

• Bigleaf ligularia (Ligularia macrophylla)

  Has longer, more oval, often grey-green leaves and a taller, branched flower display; Ligularia dentata has rounder, kidney-shaped leaves.

Ligularia comes from the Latin for a small strap, referring to the ray florets, and dentata means toothed, describing the leaf margins.

Propagation. Divide established clumps in spring, retaining roots and growing points on each piece. The species can also be raised from seed, but seedlings from named cultivars may not retain the parent's foliage colour or other characteristics.

Accepted botanical name

Ligularia dentata

In the US and Canada

Introduced in the lower 48 states.

Native range

China North-Central, China South-Central, China Southeast, Japan and Myanmar.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.