Ligularia ‘Britt-Marie Crawford’

* Common name: Ligularia ‘Britt-Marie Crawford’

* Botanical name: Ligularia dentata ‘Britt-Marie Crawford’

* What it is: A recently introduced version of a shade-preferring perennial plant with very large and dark-burgundy glossy leaves. The golden daisy-like flowers are an eye-grabbing bonus to the season-long foliage.

* Size: 3 feet tall (plus another 6 inches for the flowers) and spreading slowly to 3 feet across.

* Where to use: Prefers damp spots in shade or part shade. Doesn’t like sunny, dry spots. Good for northern or eastern foundations or along a shady creek bank.

* Care: Water whenever soil is going dry. Scatter granular organic fertilizer such as Flower-tone around plants in early spring. Snip off flower stems after bloom. Cut or rake off flattened, browned-out leaves any time after frost kills them but before new growth begins in spring. Plants can be divided in early spring.

* Great partner: Carex (sedgegrass) or golden variegated Japanese forest grass.