Overall plant
Common Name: leopard plant
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Asteraceae
Zone: 7 to 10
Height: 1.75 to 2.00 feet
Spread: 1.50 to 1.75 feet
Bloom Time: September to October
Bloom Description: Yellow
Sun: Part shade to full shade
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Medium
Culture
Winter hardy to USDA Zones 7-10. Best grown in humusy, organically rich, medium moisture soils in part shade to full shade. They prefer moist soils that never dry out, but tolerate less moisture than many of the related ligularias. Plants generally benefit from regular, deep watering in hot summers. Foliage will wilt in too much sun. When grown for foliage effect, some gardeners will remove the flowering stalks as they appear before bloom in order to emphasize the foliage quality.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Farfugium japonicum, commonly called leopard plant, is a clump-forming perennial that is grown in gardens as much for its attractive foliage as for its autumn flowers. It is native to moist meadows and stream banks in Japan and eastern Asia. Its best ornamental feature may be the foliage which consists of huge, long-stalked, glossy, leathery, kidney-shaped, dark green leaves (12” or more across) that form a basal clump to 2’ tall. Leaves are evergreen in warm winter climates, but will die to the ground when temperatures fall to 20°F. Daisy-like, yellow flowers (1-2” across) bloom in loose corymbs atop thick, mostly leafless stalks that rise above the foliage to 30” in late summer to fall. Synonymous with and formerly known as Ligularia tussilaginea and Ligularia kaempferi.
The genus name Farfugium comes from Latin meaning "flour that runs away", in reference to a layer of woolly hairs covering the leaf petioles and flowering stalks when young that is shed with age.
The specific epithet japonicum means "of Japan" in reference to part of the native range of this species.
'Wavy Gravy' is a compact selection of leopard plant that features wavy foliage and a uniform, compact to rounded growth habit. Mature plants will reach up to 2' tall and spread to fill a 1.75' area. The grey-green foliage has tightly curled margins and long, upright petioles (leaf stalks). Pairs of 1" wide, yellow, daisy-type flowers are held on upright scapes in fall but are not considered particularly showy compared to the leaves. The leaves can be used as a foliage accent in fresh cut flower arrangements. This plant is protected by patent number PP27654.
Problems
Slugs and snails can significantly damage the foliage. Even with adequate moisture, leaf wilting may occur in hot summer climates, particularly when the plant is exposed to too much sun.
Uses
Group or mass in moist areas of shade or woodland gardens, borders, or along streams, ponds, pools or bog gardens.