Leopard plant

Farfugium japonicum (L.) Kitam.

Compositae

Rhizomatous plant native to the coasts and rocky cliffs of Japan, Korea and Taiwan. It is often still known as Ligularia tussilaginea.

It has become popular as an ornamental plant because of its large leaves and yellow flowers, which produce seeds that cluster together to form dandelions. Its leaves are deep green, although there are varieties mottled white or yellow, such as F. japonicum 'aureomaculatum'. The whole plant is poisonous, as it contains tumour-causing alkaloids.