Ligularia stenocephala 'The Rocket'

Perennial of the Asteraceae family, Ligularia stenocephala is native to Japan, China, and Korea, where it grows in wet areas, stream banks, and cool mountain undergrowth. The cultivar 'The Rocket' is selected for the exceptional height and straightness of its flower spikes.

The foliage is massive and architectural: large, heart-shaped leaves, deeply toothed, dark green, with prominent veins, spread in wide low clumps that can exceed 80 cm in diameter. From this dense base rise black flower stems, perfectly upright, bearing long, narrow, and tight spikes of small bright yellow capitula. The photo remarkably illustrates this contrast between the dark, compact foliage on the ground and the yellow rockets that rise vertically, reaching a total height of 150 to 180 cm.

In its natural habitat, its flowering extends from July to August. In cultivation, it blooms at the same dates.

It requires deep soil, constantly cool to moist, rich in humus, in partial shade or light shade. It wilts spectacularly in full sun or drought, an immediate signal of the need for watering.