Deer resistant: yes 🦌
Moisture: needs consistently moist soil
Size: 36” H x 36” W
Bloom: Spikes of yellow daisy-like flowers in July
Hardiness zone: 4
Ligularias are a diverse species and underappreciated plants in the perennial garden. Ligularias produce basal mounds of uniquely attractive, large-leaf foliage, varying from triangular to rounded leaves, from medium green to inky black. In late summer, erect stems produce long flower spikes or clusters of daisy-like flowers that range from bright yellow to yellow-orange. Ligularias delight both with their foliage and bloom, and are never boring. The triangular-leaf Ligularias have a habit of looking sadly droopy in direct sun, to the point that they look like they might die any moment. As soon as the sun goes away, plants perk right back up as if nothing had happened. This will happen even if you keep plants positively soggy wet. It’s just part of their personality, Don’t worry about it and enjoy them as they are. The broad-leaf Ligularias do not show this behavior, and seem to be a little more resistant to sun or drier periods. Deer have never bothered our Ligularias.
Ligularia przewalskii (pronounced zha-vall-ski-eye) is a hard-to-find but attractive Ligularia with medium sized, multi-lobed leaves. It forms large mounds of basal foliage, from which long spikes of ‘Rocket’-like bright yellow daisy-like flowers emerge in July. Prezewalskii will wilt in direct sun, but perk back up as soon as direct sun goes away. Deer don’t bother it.