Farfugium Japonicum Gigantea Giant Leopard Plant
Leopard Plant " Farfugium Japonicum" is a clump-forming perennial that is grown in gardens as much for its attractive foliage as for its autumn flowers. It is native to moist meadows and stream banks in Japan and eastern Asia.
Its best ornamental feature may be the foliage which consists of huge, long-stalked, glossy, leathery, kidney-shaped, dark green leaves (12” or more across) that form a basal clump to 2’ tall.
Leaves are evergreen in warm winter climates but will die to the ground when temperatures fall to 20 degrees F. Daisy-like, yellow flowers (1-2” across) bloom in loose corymbs atop thick, mostly leafless stalks that rise above the foliage to 30” in late summer to fall.
Winter hardy to USDA Zones 7-10. They are best grown in humusy, organically rich, medium moisture soils in part shade to full shade but they also do well in sandy soils. They prefer moist soils that never dry out, but tolerate less moisture than many of the related ligularias.
Plants generally benefit from regular, deep watering in hot summers. Where winter hardy, group or mass in moist areas of shade or woodland gardens, borders, or along streams, ponds, pools, or bog gardens.
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