Ligularia 'Midnight Lady'

This plant will dazzle you with a lustrous mound of midnight foliage. They prosper in moist shade, but can take full sun in cool climates; everywhere else should have at least afternoon shade. The dark leaf colour is at its best in spring and summer.

From mid summer the bright daisy like flowers stretch above the leaves. It really has an air of magic about it and you can use both the leaves and the flowers in a vase.

Grow in moderately fertile to humus rich soil. It will grow in a sunny spot with sufficient (a lot of) moisture but is happier in shade or part shade. Moist soils are not a problem for these easy going plants, who thrive beside streams and ponds or bog gardens. They will also grow in any garden bed. I did some experimenting this year and found even with our dry summer the leaves stood up well, better than I expected, it was only after a month of no rain that they begin to crumple, a sprinkler soon had them standing to attention once more.

Water to establish (this takes around four weeks) and keep moist during active growth. If you are growing it in a pot, you will need to ensure you water well, you will soon know if you are not as they will sulk. You can cut it back at the end of the growing season to allow the new growth to shine. Protect the foliage from slugs and snails who find it delicious.

It is commonly referred to as the Tractor Seat Plant or Elephant Ears due to the leaf shape. Another name is Bigleaf Ligularia.