This is a tough one. I planted it in clay, in our shaded backyard, during 2013, The Year It Rained--which turned Maryland practically into a rainforest. The rain actually washed the clay away from the roots. I couldn't dig deep enough in the stuff, so they spent the year with exposed, shallow roots. And grew. And bloomed. And never looked anything other than the pictures show. The foliage is gorgeous. I didn't bother to dig them in deeper before winter, and the following spring I found I'd only lost one of the three plants.
Parentage: L. przewalskii × L. stenocephala
Ligularia dentata 'Desdemona' is a dependable flower for late summer. The foliage holds up well and is not bothered much by insect damage. Hot summer sun can make the foliage wilt, but it recovers as the sun goes down. This plant is happier with some shade in the hot afternoon. Mine isn't in the shade, but it still performs quite well.
I love the huge beautiful leaves with almost a purple tinge below and stems. The one I have in part sun is big and beautiful. The one that is in full shade is noticeably smaller and has been eaten by slugs or other bugs - thus has large holes in the big beautiful leaves.
Are we sure that cover picture is actually Przewalskii? It does appear to be a ligularia, but I'm not convinced it's this one...
My biggest customer has a few of this forb from China in her garden area behind the house near the pond. I have seen this plant do some self-sowing in the very moist soil so that a few more popped up. It does need constantly moist or draining wet soil and does best in part shade. Some of the lower leaves fall down around the plant and can be pruned off if wanted.
I have found this to be a VERY slow grower here in my zn 5 garden. I have many Ligs and this one just sits and sits....I've moved her a time or two (over several years) and it doesn't seem to matter. Or, maybe I just haven't found her 'happy place' yet.
