'Bottle Rocket' Ligularia
Perennial
- Compact Ligularia variety has bold foliage, but takes up less space.
- Nifty yellow flower spikes in summer are a bonus.
- Glossy, toothed foliage creates a lush look even in deep shade.
- Deer-resistant perennial for shade.
- Zones 4-9, part shade, 34" tall x 28" wide at maturity.
ZONE
EXPOSURE
HEIGHT
Description
Details
Patent: #:PP24486
Common name: Ligularia, Leopard plant
Zone: 4 - 9
Sun exposure: Part shade
Height x width: 28-34" X 24-28"
Flower color: Yellow
Foliage color: Green
Season of interest: Summer
Bloom time:Summer
Features: Wet soils, rain gardens, Proven Winners, heat tolerant, deer resistant, container plants, cold tolerant, best for beginners
Uses: Borders, containers, edging, ground cover, massing, small spaces, under planting, woodland
How to Grow
Light: Part shade - filtered light or 4-6 hours of sun.
Water: Average to moist. Keeping this plant too dry will cause it to enter dormancy prematurely.
Spacing: 1.5 ft
Fertilizing: Apply compost or aged manure in spring to increase organic matter content and provide a nitrogen boost.
Winterizing: Winter mulching will prevent the freezing and thawing that can heave plants roots.
Maintenance & pruning: Cut back the entire flower stalk after flowering to put the plants energy into growing more leaves.
Plant spacing is based on the ultimate width of the plants. This figure is normally given as a range; for example, 3-5’. If you live in a cold climate and/or want plants to fill in more quickly, plan to space at the shorter end of the range. If you live in a warm climate, are on a limited budget, or are willing to wait longer for plants to touch, use the higher end of the range. Using the larger number is recommended when calculating distance from a building or structure. There’s really no such thing as "maximum spacing": if you don’t want your plants to touch, you can space them as far apart as you’d like. All plant spacing is calculated on center, or in other words, the centers of the plants are spaced one half of their eventual width apart:
Unless you are planting in a straight line, as you might for hedges or edging, space your plants in a staggered or zig-zag pattern for a more interesting and naturalistic look:
Not sure just how many plants will fit in your garden? Our calculator gives you the exact amount of plants required for your space. Simply update the values and the calculator will re-calculate accordingly. Spacing information can be found in the 'How to Grow' tab on each plant's page.
I bought two of these April 1st, and planted them about 3 weeks ago. One of them is blooming a beautiful single stalk, and I’m thrilled! They are just gorgeous, and I’ll probably pick up a couple more eventually.
I have been thinking of options to fill out dry shade (with about 2 hours of direct sunn) bed under a massive magnolia and Ligularia seems to be a good fit not only because it’s a blooming shade lover but also because of the deer resistance properties.
It’s been two weeks since I planted the ligularia in ground (zone 6b) and the plant has never drooped or showed signs of transplant shock. It is well established and has already send out two flower spikes- can’t wait to see it bloom. Even without the flower spikes the plant is attractive with its unusual lush leaves and dark colored stems. This one is already a winner. I will upload pictures as soon as the blooms are open.
On a side note, this was my first ever experience ordering plant from great gardens - ordered 7 different plants (And I buy plants online a lot - multiple times each season).
Hands down this is the best experience in 8 years of receiving plants via mail. Not a single plant looked stressed. The root mass as well as top growth looked healthy. Not a single broken branch or wilted/rotting plant (I always have such issue even with reputable nurseries).
Despite of a shipping address goof up which sent my plants to my neighbor’s I forgot the annoying experience as soon as I opened the well package boxes and saw the happy plants. Including pictures taken as I was unpacking the plants.
All 7 plants are doing superb. I will add individual reviews.
Dear Great Garden team, Keep up the quality and you have got a customer for life in me.
We're so happy to hear your review, thank you for taking the time to tell us about your experience and leave pictures! We appreciate you. We can't wait to see how you use your new plants, be sure to send us pictures as you incorporate them into your garden this season! Let us know if you ever have any questions, we're here to help. Happy gardening!
I wasn’t happy with the first plant as it was so tiny. I sent a second plant which had twice as many roots as the first one, but not happy. Your plants are plants taken from a larger plant and I think you could be a bit more generous. These plants will not be blooming this season. Maybe in 2-3 years.
Thank you for your feedback! It’s surprisingly normal for newly transplanted plants to appear like they aren’t growing. That’s because most of the growth occurs below ground in their first year as they allocate more energy to root development. Once your plant is established, it will start investing more in shoot and flower development. To learn more about how plants “sleep, creep, and leap”, read our FAQ here: https://bit.ly/FAQ-plant-growth
Not sure if it was me or the plant. It looked a little troubled when I opened the package. I kept it inside because our temps were in the 100s. When I planted it, it didn’t look too well. Was gone the next day
Hello! We are sorry you're having trouble with your plant. Please email pictures of the plants to [email protected], making sure to put your order number and name in the subject line so that we may provide the best assistance possible. Rest assured, we have a 60-day guarantee on all our plants. If you received your plants within that timeframe, we would be happy to apply your warranty once we receive the pictures. Happy Gardening!
https://www.greatgardenplants.com/pages/our-guarantee
Plants are nice. One of the four died, and I was issued a refund which was greatly appreciated.
I am liking my new ligularia plants. I already had one in my garden and these two will make a bright corner of yellow .
Came healthy and ready to plant.
I have one plant that may not make it. If it gets just a piece of the sun it wilts & I’ve had to transplant 2 times just not a good plant for this area im guessing. Leaves have holes in them
Hello! 'Bottle Rocket' Ligularia is a part shade plant, so there is a chance it is getting too much sun. It also prefers moist soils. We've noticed a need for more supplemental watering this year compared to previous years. It sounds like you might be underwatering. Our horticulture team would be happy to take a look at the environment and provide some tips. Please email photos to [email protected] and we can take a look. Happy Gardening!
The plants were healthy and vigorous. Packaging was intact and plants were totally protected. They are doing well and I could not be happier. This was not the case with another mail order nursery I used. You are doing a great job!!
plant arrived a little thirsty, watered and put it in partial shade for the day. It's looking better already
Did not grow at all
Thank you for leaving feedback. When transplanting young plants from a nursery pot to a garden, the plant allocates more energy to root development instead of shoot development (above ground). It's important for them to develop a robust root system so they can actually absorb the nutrients and water in the soil around them. Then after their root system is more developed they'll invest in their shoots and flower development. They generally spend their first year growing roots in their new home, the second year they have more energy to put into growth, and the third year, they are growing and flowering vigorously. This applies to plants in the garden center as well as plants you purchase online. We hope this helps. Happy Gardening!
Arrived healthy last month, doing very well now that my red maple has leafed out and it is getting some needed afternoon shade!
This little gem arrived well packaged and in excellent health.Since I planted,it has been thriving.Cwn not wait until next year to see it in full force.I highly recommend this plant!
Not sure when it will bloom, but the leaves are nice and big!
I am interested in getting a Ligularia but not the dwarf size. I like the yellow flowers in the large bush size. Do you sell it?
Thank you for your response.
We sell this plant in a one quart size container 4" x 4" pot with the average size of the plant 6" to 8" tall. Some plants are trimmed before we ship.
The size of the plant itself varies, depending on the variety and the time of year.
Included below is our plant size page:
https://www.greatgardenplants.com/pages/sizes
What are heights of Ligularia othella and the rocket
Othello Ligularia grows to 2 to 3 feet tall and Bottle Rocket Ligularia grows to 2.5 feet high. We don't offer Othello on our website but we do have Bottle Rocket.
Is this plant an evergreen in zone 7? Thanks.
No, it is a herbaceous perennial that will go completely dormant underground even in warmer climates.
Is Ligularia invasive?
Ligularia is non native, but is not listed as invasive. It should be safe to plant in your garden.