Ligularia hodgsonii - Leopard Plant

Ligularia hodgsonii differs from other ligularias by its rounded foliage with cordate base, in a shiny medium green color. It is a tall perennial with a dense clump of attractive covering leaves. In summer, bunches of numerous small yellow-orange heads with reddish-brown hearts rise above the foliage. Not demanding and very hardy, this ligularia only requires good garden soil that never lacks moisture! Its compact form and preference for shade and water make it an ideal plant for highlighting the edges of ponds and for forming a lush ground cover along the edge of woods or along a shaded wall.

Ligularia hodgsonii is a perennial native to Japan and Russia, belonging to the large family of Asteraceae. It is found in wet meadows, woodland edges, and along riverbanks. This perennial forms a bushy and compact clump in spring, reaching a height of 90 cm (35in) and a width of 60 cm (24in). The leaves are of medium size, measuring about 8 to 12 cm (3 to 5in) long and are carried on long stalks. They are rounded, cordate at the base, with toothed edges. From July to September, corymbs composed of numerous heads bloom, which we call flowers resembling loose bouquets. Each small head, measuring 3 to 5 cm (1 to 2in), is composed of a row of bright yellow-orange ligules arranged in a collar around a central reddish-brown disk. It opens at the top of tall, green, and branching stems, from an orange mandarin-colored bud. Its inflorescences are borne on stalks marked with violet at the base. The vegetation of the ligularia disappears in winter and regrows in spring.

Plant Ligularia hodgsonii in moist, rich, deep, neutral soil. This plant cannot tolerate water shortage and adapts well to clay soils if they are healthy and well amended. The ligularia can be planted in groups of 3 to 6 specimens or individually, for example along the edge of a pond or in very moist areas of the garden. In flower beds and borders, associate it with other warm-colored flowering plants such as crocosmias, cannas, dahlias, roses, and rudbeckias. It may naturalize where the soil is constantly moist, protected from the burning rays of the sun. It is a good plant for beautifying a shaded area, on the north side of the house. It also forms a lush ground cover along a pathway or in a partially shaded border.