Leopard plant, Taiwan farfugium
Farfugium japonicum

Family: Asteraceae

What it is like

An evergreen herb. It keeps growing from year to year. The leaf stem is 30-40 cm long. The flower stalk is 30-75 cm high. The leaves are at the base near ground level and are kidney shaped. They are leathery and 15-20 cm long by 25 cm wide. They are thick and have a long leaf stalk. The flowers are yellow. The flower heads are 4-6 cm across.

Where it is found

A temperate plant. It grows in cliffs and rocky outcrops along the coast. It needs a humus rich moist soil. It is resistant to the salt spray.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan

How it is used for food

The young leaves are eaten. The leaf stalks are boiled in water to remove the harsh flavour, then peeled and used to add flavour to salads and other dishes. Caution: It contains chemicals that cause cancer and therefore needs treatment.

Edible parts

Leaves, vegetable, leaf stalk, caution, roots

How it is grown

It can be grown by seed or division of the clump.

Its other names

Local names

Gao wu, Japanese silver leaf, Silveredge, Tsuwabuki, Wild butterbur

Synonyms

Amica tussilaginea Burm. f.; Farfugium giganteum (Siebold & Zucc.); Farfugium grande Lindl.; Farfugium kaempferi (Siebold & Zucc.) Benth.; Farfugium luchuense (Masam.) Kitam.; Farfugium tussilagineum (Burm.f.) Kitam.; Ligularia kaempferi Siebold & Zucc.; Ligularia nokozanensis Ligularia tussilaginea (Burman f.) Makino; Senecio kaempferi (Siebold & Zucc.) DC.; Senecio tussilagineus (Burm.f.) Kuntze; Tussilago japonica L.;