Family: Asteraceae
Common Name: Leopard's Bane

Native to Europe and Asia, this genus comprises around 30 species of perennial herbs, with rich yellow, daisy-like flowers in spring or summer. They are excellent border plants and long-last­ing cut flowers.

Species

D. austriacum, zone 5, is a hairy plant, growing to 1 m (3 ft), and producing golden yellow flowers in the spring.

D. colunnae (Synonym: D. cordatum), spring beauty, zone 5, grows from fibrous rhizomes to a height of 60 cm (24 in) and it produces single, yellow flowers.

D. plantagineum, to 80 cm (24 in), has deep yellow flowers in late spring. There are several named cultivars of this species, all well worth growing.

Cultivation

Doronicums like a rich, moist soil and a sunny or partially shaded position. Propagate by division of the crowns every few years in spring. Alternatively, they can be prop­agated from seed sown from late spring to early summer.

Climate

There are species suited to various climatic zones.