How to Grow Doronicum Plants in your Garden

Gardener's HQ Guide to Growing Leopard’s Bane

Doronicum are hardy perennials that bloom with daisy like flowers of yellow in the spring and start of summer.

They can reach heights between 30 and 90 cm, which makes them ideal for use as a border plant.

One of the common names for Doronicum is Leopard's bane.

Doronicum pardalianches
Doronicum pardalianches by summer photo hobby.

Doronicum Growing and Care Guide

Common Names: Leopard’s Bane.
Life Cycle: Hardy perennial.
Height: 4 to 36 inches (10 to 90 cm).
Native: Europe, Asia.
Growing Region: Zones 4 to 8.
Flowers: Species dependent: Spring and/or to early summer.
Flower Details: Yellow. Daisy-like ray and disc florets.
Bell-shaped. Tubular. Trumpets. Inconspicuous pale green; plants are grown for their attractive silvery or bronze spearheads.
Foliage: Herbaceous. Ovate. Lanceolate.
Sow Outside: Surface. Start of spring or the beginning of autumn. Spacing 8 to 18 inches (20 to 45 cm).
Sow Inside: Germination time: one to three weeks. Temperature: 70°F (21°C) in the light. Two months in advance. Transplant outdoors before the last frost or in autumn.
Requirements and care: Full sunlight or partial shade (warm areas). Humus, moist soil. Regular watering during dry periods. Cut back Doronicum to the ground in autumn. Spring and winter mulches. Divide every two years to prolong lifespan. Propagate: by dividing in the autumn.

How to Grow Leopard's bane (Doronicum)

Doronicum can be sown straight onto the soil surface either at the start of spring or the start of Autumn. They prefer to grow in lightly shaded areas, but may require full sunlight in areas where it is not very sunny. Doronicum like a moist soil that is rich in humus. If you plan to grow Leopard's bane indoors first, then the process should be started about 9 or 10 weeks before the plants are due to be put in the garden in the early autumn, or before the last frost of spring. It usually takes about three weeks for the plants to germinate at a temperature of 21 degrees Centigrade. The seedlings of Doronicum should be planted out with a spacing of 30 cm (small varieties) or 40 cm (larger species).

Caring for Doronicum plants

Once growing the ground that Doronicum plants grow in should be kept moist by regular watering, and the plants should be cut back once the flowering season has finished. Doronicum require mulching in spring and winter.

Although a perennial Doronicum plants only have a short life span so should be divided every three years or so to create new plants, this is best done in the autumn.