Herb: Leopard Plant


Latin name: Farfugium japonicum


Synonyms: Ligularia kaempferi, Ligularia tussilaginea, Senecio kaempferi


Family: Compositae



Medicinal use of Leopard Plant:

The leaves are antidote. They are taken internally to treat fish poisoning and externally to treat lacquer poisoning. They are also applied to suppurating abscesses and pox.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Perennial

Height:
75 cm
(2 feet)

Flowering:
November
to December

Habitat of the herb:

Rocky cliffs near sea shores. In the long grass of streamside meadows. Lower elevational forests, grassy slopes and valleys in China.

Edible parts of Leopard Plant:

Leaf stems - cooked. The leaf stems are boiled in water to remove a bitter taste, the outer peel is removed and they are then added to salads, soups etc.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division in spring.

Cultivation of Leopard Plant:

Rocky cliffs near sea shores. In the long grass of streamside meadows. Lower elevational forests, grassy slopes and valleys in China.

Known hazards of Farfugium japonicum:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.