Ligularia : unusual foliage and flowers

Experienced gardeners find it hard to imagine a beautiful, unique garden without ligularia. Its interesting leaves and flowers capture the attention of anyone who loves plants.

Ligularia is a perennial flowering plant in the Asteraceae family. It is also known as ragwort. This plant naturally grows in moist areas of eastern, southeastern, and central Asia, like near rivers and in forest clearings.

Ligularia has a distinct look. Large leaves grow from the base on long stems. The leaves are shaped like carved, triangular hearts. Their color ranges from dark green to red-brown. Some leaves have two colors, such as purple and green-violet. They can be up to 2 feet across.

The ligularia flower looks like a daisy. It is made up of small, tubular and ray-like flowers. These flowers are less than 4 inches wide. Ligularia blooms from the bottom up. The flower cluster can look like a plume or a brush.

Flower colors vary from light yellow to deep orange.

The plant's stalk is tall, reaching up to 6.5 feet. Ligularia starts flowering in June and continues until October. It is also a good source of nectar for bees. The ripe fruit is a seed with a tuft.