I have a dwarf ligularia that has daisy type flowers rather than the "Rocket" spires you mentioned. I bought it a few years ago from Hallson Gardens. It is called L. Osiris Fantaisie. It is a wonderful carefree plant, compact, upright, with dark green serrated leaves, purplish undersides, and yellow-gold flowers in late August. It is about two feet tall and not quite as wide.

Although the flowers are "snappy", mine is planted mostly for the foliage. It contrasts nicely with the small hostas, large number of minor spring bulbs, and the Dragon's Blood sedum foliage in the area. The purple undersides of the leaves also complements the wine-red flowers of the sedum.

My Ligularia Osiris Fantaisie is planted near the east side of my south facing back patio, but gets fairly deep shade, depending on season and time of day, from a dense Coralburst Crab Apple tree. The soil is moderately amended heavy clay and a bit on the dry side (being at the top of my hill and under a tree), but close enough to the patio that I can spray it when I water the patio pots. It has never wilted on me, or needed any kind of pruning or dividing. I don't even deadhead, since I would have to step on the small hostas to reach it.

P.S. If you are wondering how the sedum (a sun lover) manages with the low deep shade of the Crab Apple - it was planted many years earlier before the tree, and seems to get enough light from early mornings in summer and full sun in spring and fall to hang in there.

Thanks Leslie for the detailed reply. I was also looking at "Osiris Cafe Noir" (a 'relative' of Fantaisie?) but I will probably instead pick up a couple of the 'Bottle Rocket' as I think the yellow spear like flowers will be more interesting, give more 'pop' in the location I am considering.

I have The Rocket and Zepter growing in a place shaded by a tree for the most of the day. The blooming is satisfactory.

wieslaw for what duration approximately does your 'Rocket' Ligularia bloom for?

I just put in a 'Dragon's Breath' Ligularia and really really like it. It gets about 2 feet wide, 1 foot tall and has some really interesting foliage most of the year. Flowers seem to be getting ready now to start blooming. I like it way better than the other types which never seem to work for me

on_greenthumb thanks for that suggestion of 'Dragon's Breath'. I think I have room for 3 or 4 'ligs' in different locations on our property. I may go for 4 different ones as an experiment.

Rouge, I do not recall exactly how long Rocket bloomed, I will tell you after this season. I do not think they bloom especially long as they are visited by insects who pollinate them.

Thanks wieslaw for this information to come!

So how late into the season will your Lig. 'Rocket' start to bloom?

Hi, The Rocket started blooming July 15th(1 flower open), and the last flower closed August 25th.

wieslaw I really appreciate you coming back with this info...definitely above and beyond the call of duty.