About
A spreading perennial with fleshy rhizomes producing a carpet of kidney-shaped leaves. Clusters of vanilla-scented, pale purple flowers appear from mid-winter to early spring, ahead of the leaves, providing a valuable early nectar source.
About the genus
Petasites are perennial plants, usually large, with thick rhizomes or stems. Leaves are often very large and either heart-shaped or kidney-shaded. Scapes or stems many-headed, with any leaves usually reduced to scales. Flowers dioecious in usually rayless heads, purple or white, rarely yellowish, borne in panicles or racemes at the ends of the scapes
Growing conditions
SunlightFull shade, Full sun, Partial shade
Soil typeChalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained, Poorly-drained, Well-drained
AspectSouth-facing, East-facing, North-facing, West-facing
ExposureExposed, Sheltered
UK hardinessH4
Plant details
Plant typeHerbaceous Perennial
HabitBushy, Matforming
FoliageDeciduous
Height0.5-1 metres
Spread1-1.5 metres
Time to full height2-5 years
Suggested usesWildlife gardens
Native toN Africa
FragranceFlower
Care notes
CultivationGrows easily in most soils, and large colonies can develop on roadsides or waste ground. Is a valuable source of early nectar but has the potential to become a nuisance in gardens by smothering other plants. See Butterbur and winter heliotrope for more information
PruningRemove the old foliage before the onset of new growth in late winter
PropagationDivide in spring
Pest resistanceGenerally pest-free
Disease resistanceGenerally disease-free