Leopard-plant
Leopard-plant in Wayford Woods,
Somerset
Flowering spike
Flowerheads with outer and inner florets
Strap-like outer and tubular
inner florets plus anthers
Leaves
Dentate, heart-shaped leaf
Ligularia dentata
Asteraceae
June to August
The garden plant is found throughout the country.
The naturalised escape is very thinly scattered throughout.
See the BSBI distribution map for Leopard-plant
It is a garden escape, which has become naturalised in a
few places.
There are several horticultural cultivars of Ligularia
dentata.
The escape shown here is “Rocket”.
It grows in wet, boggy places.
Leopard-plant is a perennial herb growing up to 1.5m.
The flowers are in a tall yellow spike.
Flower heads are about 2cm across and comprised of small
numbers of ligulate (strap-like) outer florets and tubular
inner florets.
There are 5 yellow stamens with recurved appendages.
Leaves are up to 20cm, heart-shaped and regularly
toothed.
The Global Compendium of Weeds states that in the UK,
Leopard-plant is both a garden thug and a naturalised
escape.
In other parts of the world it is an invasive alien.
Previous page: Large Trefoil
Next page: Lesser Bulrush
Leopard-plant in Wayford Woods,
Somerset
Flowering spike
Flowerheads with outer and inner florets
Strap-like outer and tubular
inner florets plus anthers
Leaves
Dentate, heart-shaped leaf
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