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Herbaceous Perennial

Ligularia dentata 'Othello'

leopard plant 'Othello'

A clump-forming herbaceous perennial with large, rounded, saw-edged leaves which are flushed deep purple in spring, before fading to dark green. The undersides of the leaves remain dark red/purple. In summer and early autumn branched stems topped by large, daisy-like, yellow-orange flowers with narrow petals are held above the leaves. Height around 1m (3.2ft).

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Ultimate height

0.5–1 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.5–1 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Moisture

Poorly–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Asteraceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Clump forming
Genus: Ligularia are robust herbaceous perennials, with large, often attractively lobed leaves and yellow or orange, daisy-like flower-heads in terminal racemes or branching clusters
Name status: Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in moderately fertile, deep, reliably moist soil, in full sun with some midday shade. Shelter from strong winds.

Propagation

Propagate by division in spring, or after flowering.

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Sub-tropical

Pruning

No pruning required. Cut down withered stems in winter/early spring

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs and snails

Diseases

Generally disease-free

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