''Farfugium japonicum'' ( syn. '' Ligularia tussilaginea'') is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Asteraceae, also known as leopard plant, green leopard plant or tractor seat plant. It is

native Native may refer to: People * Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Native Americans (disambiguation) In arts and entert ...

to streams and seashores of Japan, where it is called ''tsuwabuki'' (石蕗).

Description

It is a

rhizomatous In botany and dendrology, a rhizome (; , ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and shoots from its nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from axillary buds and grow ho ...

evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, which ...

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

, growing in a loose clump about tall and wide, with large round or kidney-shaped leaves that are slightly fleshy in texture. Daisy-like yellow flowers, across, are borne in loose clusters in autumn and winter.

Cultivation

''Farfugium japonicum'' is grown as an

ornamental plant Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that i ...

for garden planting and

containers A container is any receptacle or enclosure for holding a product used in storage, packaging, and transportation, including shipping. Things kept inside of a container are protected on several sides by being inside of its structure. The term ...

. The variegated

cultivar A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture, ...

s are often used to brighten shade garden settings. ''Farfugium japonicum'' var. ''giganteum'' is a very large leaved selection. Some cultivars have shiny green leaves variegated with irregular creamy white or yellow markings, which are leathery and large, 4-10 in (10.2-25.4 cm) across, with wavy or toothed margins, held aloft on long stalks. Others are an even green without the white or yellow markings. The cultivar 'Aureomaculatum' has gained the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nort ...

Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. History The Award of Garden Merit ...

. It is hardy in coastal or mild areas, but requires protection from cold winds.

Toxicity

''Farfugium japonicum'' contains

tumorigenic Carcinogenesis, also called oncogenesis or tumorigenesis, is the formation of a cancer, whereby normal cells are transformed into cancer cells. The process is characterized by changes at the cellular, genetic, and epigenetic levels and abno ...

pyrrolizidine alkaloids Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs), sometimes referred to as necine bases, are a group of naturally occurring alkaloids based on the structure of pyrrolizidine. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids are produced by plants as a defense mechanism against insect he ...

.Fu, P.P., Yang, Y.C., Xia, Q., Chou, M.C., Cui, Y.Y., Lin G., "Pyrrolizidine alkaloids-tumorigenic components in Chinese herbal medicines and dietary supplements", ''Journal of Food and Drug Analysis'', Vol. 10, No. 4, 2002, pp. 198-21

/ref>Niwa H., Ishiwata H., Yamada K. "Isolation of petasitenine, a carcinogenic pyrrolizidine alkaloid from Farfugium japonicum"

Journal of Natural Products The ''Journal of Natural Products'' is a monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal covering all aspects of research on the chemistry and/or biochemistry of naturally occurring compounds. It is co-published by the American Society of Pharmacogno ...

1985 48:6 (1003-1007)

Gallery

Farfugium japonicum 'Argenteum'.jpg, cv. 'Argenteum' Petasites japonicus02.jpg, Flowers

References

External links

*
Floridata entryMissouri Botanical Garden - Horticulture treatment: ''Farfugium japonicum'' var. ''giganteum'' (Giant leopard plant)
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1072335 Senecioneae Flora of Japan Garden plants of Asia Perennial plants Flora of China