Ligularia 'PANDORA'^®

Ligularia is probably too beautiful to worry about its common name. There are so many of them such as leopard plant, golden groundsel, ray flower, even tractor seat, and still mostly everybody call it ligularia. Pandora^® is a smashing novelty from 2016, introduced by Dutch company CNB in 2007.

Pandora^® is the most compact leopard plant known to trade so far. It is the darkest of three newly bred varieties producing dark wine red, almost chocolate brown foliage which matures to deep olive green in midsummer. Leaves are highly glossy, undulated, and serrated at margins. Rich golden yellow, daisy-like and somewhat tousled flowers appear atop bright garnet red, thick stems that reach 30-40 cm tall, usually from mid July until mid August. Plants begin to flower from the second or third year.

Ligularia loves moist and wet sites. Use it along river banks, at ponds and garden lakes, or grow it in a common border which will be regularly irrigated since the soil must never dry out. Pandora^® loves partial shade or filtered sun. Provide some protection from slugs and snails which love its thick leaves. Hardiness was tested down to -30 °C (USDA zone 5), and is expected to go yet a little stronger.

Last update 03-02-2018; 23-10-2022