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The Lush Ligularia
Written By: Jeannie Chambers - The Accidental Gardener | Issue: 2016/06 - June
I had never heard of these plants until a few years ago, and to be quite honest, I wasn’t sure it was a plant I thought I’d want in my “garden.”
I use the term garden loosely – when someone refers to their garden, and they mean perennial flower garden, most envision an English country garden, whereas mine is a natural variety garden – whatever comes up gets to live there. I was afraid if I added things like Ligularia, it would look more like a weed than the stylish plant that it is, but it’s growing on me. Stylish is its middle name, well, its first name actually – in Latin it’s referred to
Stylophorum dipphyllum.
Ligularia (pronounced: lig-you-LAIR-ee-uh) is fun to say; it sort of rolls all over your mouth, like aluminum. You can make it sound sophisticated, if you hold your chin up a bit at the end, or it can sound like an ailment that you received while traveling to a Third World county. There are two main varieties that sometimes get mixed up: Ligularia Desdemona with daisy like flowers, and Ligularia Rocket with spires of yellow flowers. (But please, when you go to a nursery, ask for Ligularia – they’ll think you know what you’re talking about).
Ligualaria is a “two-act” plant and beautiful in its own way. It grows two to three feet tall, and has heart-shaped “jagged teeth” leathery looking leaves that are dark with an almost bluish tint. The undersides are reddish, as well as the stems. The stems are long, but not very strong, so the heavy leaves droop a bit, which gives it a more mounded look.
Act One: The greenery; and it deserves an ovation because of the striking different colors, especially if you showcase it against plants of other colors.
In late summer, you are rewarded with Act Two – the yellowish orange flowers springing out of the middle. This plant grows well in wet areas, along streams, and in shaded woodland gardens.
Make sure you plant it in the right spot; it has stage fright in the sun, and wilts terribly. The wetter, the better; this is one of those union plants – you have to give in to its demands, or you don’t get to see the show, but in the end, it’s worth the bother.
