PlantFiles: Bigleaf Ligularia, Leopard Plant, Golden Groundsel
Ligularia dentata 'Britt Marie Crawford'

Year is 2011 and this plant was actaully planted in my garden in 2010, so this is it's first actual year of growth since I never count the first year. I saw this plant a couple years in a row at the local Home Depot and wouldn't purchase it due to actually looking it up on the net and finding that it prefers a damper soil. I also read that the snails and slugs also love this plant and to put sand around it to keep them away. Well I broke down and bought 2 of this variety and 2 of the Ligularia Stenocephala Litte Rocket. Yes when it gets really hot the leaves do droop but I see my coneflowers doing the same thing, I am not home a lot and so far it hasn't affected them but we have been getting rain in between the hot spells. The foliage is ok but not growing as aggressive as the Little Rocket is and it is more of a purple color that I remembered last year. When I get a chance to see them this growing season I will better be able to decide if I like them or not but they did look cool in the pots last year! My plants are planted where they get sun during the afternoon about 1230 till 7pm give or take. No soil additions were made at the time of planting but I did add garden soil to the bottom of the hole and part way up the sides just to help the roots in the beginning

I have several other ligularias and absolutly love this one also. Could kick myself for not buying one sooner. Georgeous dark foliage and the bonus flowers the end of summer! Butterflies love them also. Ronna

Very nice foliage, contrasts well with the orange blooms. Blooms August - September in my garden. USPP #16113

One of my favorite plants of all time! Gorgeous foliage, cheery flowers, tough plant that grows like a champ! It runs a very close second to my #1 obsession...hostas. :) Makes an excellent companion plant to hostas and the purple foliage sets it apart from other shade plants. I don't find this particular variety to wilt as badly as other Ligularia when the sun really starts beating down.

A "must-have" in any garden, for sure!

The flowers are lightly fragrant, in a way that reminds me of the perfumed powder my mother used to wear; not as heavy as a perfume. If grown in conditions they favor, these plants are eye-catching for their foliage, and even more so when in full bloom. Visitors to our nursery display gardens comment on them most during spring, when the leaves are richly colored and shiny, and during August, which is their blooming time in Zone 3b. I've collected seeds and will see if any of them come true, though it seems unlikely.

I've grown this gorgeous plant for about 5 years, and virtually every visitor to my garden notices and admires it. I don't particularly care for the flowers (in fact, I discard them), but the rich dark foliage is spectacular!

This has been showing up at our local nurseries the last year or two. We picked up a couple as soon as we saw them.
We love the dark foliage and bright flowers.
Easy to care for as long as it does not get too much afternoon sun, which will make it wilt like other Ligularia. Slugs have not bothered it so far, Unlike some of our other damp shade plants.