Ligularia ‘Bottle Rocket’ 1Gal

Latin Name: Ligularia × 'Bottle Rocket'

Common Name: Bottle Rocket Ligularia / Leopard Plant

Zones: 4–9

Height & Spread: 28–34 inches tall, spreading 24–28 inches wide

Descriptive Features: A refined, more compact sport of 'Little Rocket' selected for markedly improved garden performance, forming a perfectly proportioned plant unlike older, leggier Ligularia varieties. Bold, thick, very large, deeply serrated dark green leaves form a dense, robust clump that rises on striking chocolate-brown stems, holding up notably better in heat than its parent, which tends to wilt and open up. In midsummer, mustard-yellow flower spikes cluster together like a bouquet at the top of the foliage, with no bare, naked stems showing beneath the blooms and a greater number of flowering stems than 'Little Rocket'. Requires consistently moist, rich, humusy soil that never dries out, and benefits from a site sheltered from wind; leaves may wilt in hot afternoon sun even with adequate moisture, so afternoon shade is recommended in warmer climates. Deer-resistant and a strong draw for butterflies and bees, though watch for slug and snail damage on the foliage. An excellent choice for shaded borders, woodland gardens, or streamside, pond, and bog plantings in part to full shade.