Ligularia 'THE ROCKET' leopard plant, golden groundsel, rayflower, ragwort
size/type
tall perennial,tall perennial
usual height
1-2m
usual width
0,5-1m
leaves
deciduous broadleaf
colour of leaves
flowers
showy
colour of flowers
blooming time
July-August
location
full sun
soil type
any (acidic to alkaline)
soil moisture requirements
tolerates (but does not demand) wet ground
USDA zone (lowest)
3 (down to -40°C)
winter protection
for zone 5+6
for zone 7
categorized
Ligularia
Ligularia is probably too beautiful to worry about its common name. There are so many of them such as leopard plant, golden groundsel, rayflower, even tractor seat, and still mostly everybody call it ligularia. There are about 150 species in the genus which mostly come from Central and East Asia. They are valued for large leaves and attractive yellow, golden, or orange flowers. Since they are water-loving plants they thrive in a bog garden or near streams and ponds where the ground never dries out.Description of the plant:
The Rocket is a showcase among leopard plants. It is a hybrid of l. stenocephala and l. przewalski producing glowing yellow flowers on tall stems and attractive leaves. Before the flowers appear the foliage will undoubtfully catch your eyes. The leaves are up to 25 cm across, kidney-shaped, medium green and glossy, conspicuously serrated at margins. They unfold atop about 30 cm tall, deep maroon or almost black stalks, creating clever parasols that completely shade the ground beneath: the plant loves moist sites and parasols prevent the ground from thirsty sunrays, how crafty, eh?In July rise very tall, also deep maroon-black stems topped with long, spike-formed inflorescences composed of golden yellow, 3-petalled flowers. They open continuously bottom to top for almost two months like a glowing torch reaching almost 175 cm. The Rocket will look best in mass plantings where you will fully enjoy the beauty of its leaves and prolonged flowering period.
Ligularia loves constantly moist to wet sites where it thrives even in full sun. In a border which might occasionally dry out it needs some protection during the hottest hours of the day otherwise it may wilt easily. It likes deep, medium fertile soil of any pH. For shorter species provide some protection from slugs and snails which love its newly emerging leaves. Fully hardy to about -40 °C (USDA zone 3).
Last update 23-10-2022
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GLOSSARY
- STANDARD QUALITY - Plants of this group are 1st class quality with number of branches and overall density adequate to their size and age, considering they were container grown.
- DE LUXE QUALITY - This label guarantees a luxurious quality of manually selected plants that, compared to their height and age, are exceptionally dense and beautiful.
- EXTRA - These plants are usually mature and bigger specimens with exceptional overall appearance.
- STANDARD (as described in the plant form) means a tree with a trunk of 190-210 cm and a crown at the top, unless specified differently. The commercial size for trees is their girth measured in the height of 1m from ground.
- HOBBY - These plants are of the same quality as our standard-quality plants but younger and therefore cheaper.
- SHRUB - a woody plant with branches growing bushy from the ground level.
- HALF-STANDARD or MINI-STANDARD - a small tree with shorter trunk, its size is usually specified.
- FEATHERED - These are trees with branches growing already from the base of the trunk and up along the stem.
- GRASSES and PERENNIALS - Sizes given usually read the diameter of the pot or the clump, as specified.
