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Farfugium japonicum
Also called Leopardplant, Tractor Seat Plant, Green Leopard Plant
Leopard plant is a clump-forming evergreen perennial with large, round to kidney-shaped leaves and daisy-like yellow flowers in autumn and winter. It is grown mainly for its foliage in shade gardens and containers, and does best in mild, sheltered sites out of cold wind.
Farfugium japonicum (syn. Ligularia tussilaginea) is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, also known as leopard plant, green leopard plant or tractor seat plant. It is native to streams and seashores of Japan, where it is called tsuwabuki (石蕗).
Farfugium japonicum is grown as an ornamental plant for garden planting and containers. The variegated cultivars are often used to brighten shade garden settings. Farfugium japonicum var. giganteum is a very large leaved selection. Some cultivars have shiny green leaves variegated with irregular creamy white or yellow markings, which are leathery and large, 4-10 in (10.2-25.4 cm) across, with wavy or toothed margins, held aloft on long stalks. Others are an even green without the white or yellow markings.
The cultivar 'Aureomaculatum' has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. It is hardy in coastal or mild areas, but requires protection from cold winds.
Farfugium japonicum contains tumorigenic pyrrolizidine alkaloids.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Farfugium japonicum by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
