Tractor's Seat Plant

The Tractor's Seat Plant (Ligularia reniformis) earns its place on leaf size alone. Glossy, kidney shaped leaves the width of a dinner plate build a clump about 0.8m high and 1.2m across, and slim spikes of yellow daisy flowers lift to around 1.2m through the warmer months. It is a shade and moisture plant, one of the few genuinely bold foliage choices for the damp, dim corner most gardens have.

Why you'll love it

• Leaves that read from across the garden. Each one is large, round and high gloss, so a single clump does the work of a much bigger shrub.
• It wants the wet spot. Wet feet tolerant, so ground that stays damp after rain is an advantage rather than a problem to solve.
• Frost hardy, unlike most big leaf plants. Bold foliage usually means tender. This one holds up in cool temperate gardens as well as subtropical ones.
• Yellow flowers above the foliage. Tall daisy spikes rise clear of the leaves through the warm months, and need no more than cutting off at the base afterwards.

Where it works best

Massed in shaded beds. Plant 1m apart. At that spacing the leaves overlap into a continuous low canopy within two seasons, and the soil underneath stays cool and weed free.

Pond edges and drainage lines. Ground that stays damp is where this plant looks its best, which is unusual enough to be worth planning around.

Pots and shaded courtyards. One plant fills a 400mm pot and holds its shape for years, provided the watering keeps up.

Growing Tractor's Seat Plant in Australia

Position and climate. Full shade to part shade. Morning sun is fine, hot afternoon sun scorches the leaf margins for the rest of the season. It suits subtropical, warm temperate and cool temperate gardens, and frost is no problem for an established clump. Dry inland heat is, so in arid districts keep it in a sheltered courtyard with reliable irrigation.

Soil. Rich and moisture holding. Dig compost through the bed before planting, then mulch 50mm deep and keep it clear of the crown. Heavy ground that other plants resent is what this one prefers.

Water. Keep the soil damp, particularly through the first summer. If it dries right out the plant collapses flat, and while a deep soak usually revives it within hours, repeated wilting costs you leaves.

Feeding and tidying. A complete slow release fertiliser in early spring is enough. Remove leaves as they yellow, and bait for snails around fresh spring shoots.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in tube stock and in packs of six 200mm plants. Tubes are young single crown plants and the economical way to fill a long shaded bed, though allow a season for them to size up. The 200mm pack covers roughly six square metres at 1m spacing and already carries several full sized leaves.

Plants travel upright and are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Expect some leaf damage in transit on foliage this large. It is cosmetic, and fresh leaves push through within four to six weeks in the growing season. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to plan a shade garden in Australia
• Browse more plants for partial shade
• The best groundcovers for shaded beds
• Plants that thrive in containers

Common questions

Will it grow in full sun?

Not well. In open sun the leaf edges scorch and the clump stays small and hard looking. Give it shade through the hottest part of the day for full leaf size.

How many plants do I need?

One per square metre. At 1m spacing the leaves close over the soil in about two seasons, so a pack of six covers a bed roughly 2m by 3m.

Why do the leaves flop on hot days?

It is telling you it is thirsty. Large soft leaves lose water faster than the roots can replace it, so a plant on the dry side wilts by afternoon. Water deeply and it lifts again, usually the same day.