Which Ligularia?
A question for Ligularia experts on this forum! Last year in June I purchased 3 specimens of Ligularia stenocephala 'The rocket'. See details here: https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/details?plantid=1155.
One specimen did not make it over the winter, but the other two have grown quite well. Now my problem is that those two specimens are definitely different varieties/cultivars of Ligularia.
I'm pretty sure specimen B is indeed the Ligularia stenocephala 'The rocket' I purchased under that name. It displays all the characteristics of that variety: strongly toothed, heart-shaped leaves and tall, dense racemes of small deep yellow flowers on contrasting black stems. Although it has only grown up to less than one metre high so far.
Specimen A, on the other hand, has grown enormously in only one year, it's more than 1.5 metre wide and high. The largest leaves are 35 cm in length. It has about a dozen racemes beginning to flower above the foliage, but the leaves are more round than those of specimen B, they are not strongly toothed, the flower stems are green, not black and the racemes are less dense than those of specimen B. The yellow flowers are a little larger than those of B.
I have searched the Web but have not found a description corresponding to the features of my specimen A. Here is the full list of those other species/varieties of Ligularia that were on sale at the nursery where I purchased those plants: Ligularia clivorum; L. dentata 'Desdemona'; L. dentata 'Marie Britt Crawford'; L. dentata 'Megamona'; L. osiris 'Cafe Noir'; L. osiris 'Pistache'; L. osiris 'Fantaisie'; L. palmatiloba; L. palmatiloba; L. przewalskii; Ligularia wilsoniana and, of course, L. stenocephala 'The rocket' and 'Little rocket'.
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Is it me or do they look the same?
i have the rocket and it looks like thease.
Could be that they are seed raised, which would account for a little variation. Or simply that specimen A has rooted better or found a moister spot, providing lusher growth and less colouration.
Thanks for your replies, Chrissy and Will. Yes, those 2 specimens do look similar, but I maintain they are different. Actually, my Web search has led me to find out that it is sometimes difficult to differentiate between the L. hybrids. I will continue to observe my specimens, and also pay a visit to the nursery where I purchased them for more info.
In the meantime, I would appreciate if forum members who grow Ligularia similar to the 'Rocket' would try to help and post some photos of their own specimens.
perhaps ligularia przewalskii of which the rocket is a hybrid?
It got me a little baffled as well, I think your right with B though.
If you cant match it to the ones the nursery was selling I think Hostafan could be right with a przewalskii hybrid
I have a przewalskii the rocket according to it label but now I am questioning the label after looking around on the web.
If it helps here is my Ligularia przewalskii, bought this year for 99p in 9cm pot