Growing Guide
 
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Leopard’s Bane

Herbaceous Perennial Flower

Also known as Caucasian Leopard’s Bane, Great Leopard's Bane, Plantain Leopard's Bane
Doronicum spp.
Asteraceae Family

The earliest-blooming of the daisies, Leopard's Bane makes a great yellow-flowered companion for late spring-flowering bulbs and is good for cut flowers. Different species and varieties range from 6 inches to 4 feet tall.

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Site Characteristics
Sunlight:
  • full sun
  • part shade
Prefers part shade, particularly in the afternoon in hot locations.

Soil conditions:

  • requires well-drained soil
Prefers soil that is kept moist but not soggy.

Hardiness zones:

  • 4 to 8
May be marginally hardy in Zone 4 and even Zone 5. Mulching may improve overwinter survival.
Plant Traits

Lifecycle: perennial

Ease-of-care: easy

Height: 1 to 4 feet

Spread: 1 to 2 feet

Bloom time:

  • mid-spring
  • late spring
  • early summer

Flower color: yellow

Flowers are daisy-like.

Foliage color: medium green

Leaves are heart-shaped and deeply toothed.

Foliage texture: medium

Shape: cushion, mound or clump

Shape in flower: flower stalks with upright spikes

Flowers borne singly on erect stems rising above the foliage.

Special Considerations
Special characteristics:
  • non-aggressive
  • non-invasive
  • not native to North America - Native to Europe
Growing Information
How to plant:

Propagate by seed, division or separation - Sow seeds in containers in cold frame in spring.

Divide in spring or late summer to early fall when plants are dormant.

Maintenance and care:
Keep soil moist but not soggy. Deadhead spent blooms to encourage fall flowering. The plants die back after spring flowering, then come back to bloom in the fall if properly cared for.

More growing information: How to Grow Perennials

Pests:
Aphids
Sawflies
Varieties
Caucasian Leopard's Bane (D. orientale or D. caucasicum) is the most common species in gardens and hardy in Zones 5 to 8. Varieties include:

‘Finesse’ grows 2 feet tall, is late blooming, bears 3-inch-wide, yellow-orange, semi-double flowers, and comes true from seed.

'Gerhard' bears lemon-yellow flowers with greenish yellow centers.

‘Magnificum’ bears 3-inch-wide, yellow flowers on 2- to 2.5-foot tall plants.

'Miss Mason' (a hybrid beteween D. orientale and D. austriacum) grows 1 to 2 feet tall, bears canary yellow flowers and is less likely to go dormant in summer.

‘Spring Beauty’ ('Frulingspracht') bears double yellow flowers on 1.5-foot-tall plants.

Great Leopard's Bane (D. pardalianches or D. cordatum) grows to 3 to 4 feet tall and his hardy in Zones 5 to 8. 'Goldstrauss' is a variety.

Plantain Leopard's Bane (D. plantagineum) grows up to 3.5 feet tall and his hardy in Zones 4 to 8. Varieties include 'Excelsum', 'Harpur Crewe' and 'Strahlengold', which persists and flowers into summer and resists mildew and root rot.