Doronicum

Family: Asteraceae. The name comes from the Arabic word 'doronish' — the name of an unknown poisonous plant.

About 40 species are known, distributed in the mountains of the temperate regions of Europe, Asia and North America. Perennial plants. Stems simple or slightly branched. Basal leaves gathered in a ground rosette on long petioles; stem leaves are often stem-clasping, arranged alternately. Inflorescence is a head (capitulum), usually solitary, on a thin, almost leafless scape, sometimes 2–6 in a corymbose inflorescence. Ray flowers ligulate, yellow; disc flowers tubular, yellow. Achenes smooth or hairy, oblong. More than 6000 seeds per 1 g. Germination is retained for 1–2 years.

Location: the plant is winter-hardy and sun-loving, but to obtain larger flowerheads and prolonged flowering, plants are planted in semi-shaded sites. Only the plantain-leaved Doronicum prefers sunny locations. Doronicums do not grow under trees close to trunks.

Soil: suitable are plots cultivated to a depth of 20–25 cm with loose, manured, moist but not waterlogged soil. In this case the plants become more ornamental, flowering abundantly and for a long time.

Care: protect from slugs. Fertilize sparingly. It is very important to provide sufficient watering during flowering and in the dormancy period. Overwatering the soil is not allowed. After flowering, during the dormancy period in June–July, they tolerate drought well. To retain soil moisture, mulching of plantings is recommended. Best is wood chips, but shavings or mown grass can be used. After flowering, shoots should be cut, as they quickly wither and spoil the plant's appearance. Under favorable conditions, the plantain-leaved Doronicum may have a second flowering at the end of summer. Doronicum rhizomes are located close to the soil surface; loosening and deep digging are not recommended.

Diseases and pests: Doronicum may be affected by powdery mildew, leaf and gall nematodes, and aphids.

Propagation of Doronicum: by division of the clump, by pieces of rhizome with a renewal bud, and by seeds. Clumps are divided once every four years, in August–September. Seeds are sown in autumn or spring in open ground or grown as seedlings. Optimal temperature for germination is 16°C. Seedlings appear on the seventh–tenth day. Seedlings are pricked out into boxes. Transplant to open ground at the end of June, keeping 20–25 cm between plants.

Use of Doronicum: in group plantings against shrubs, in mixed borders, used for rock gardens and for cut flowers.

Many gardeners specifically grow these flowers for cutting. It is important to obtain a long flower stalk and a large inflorescence. This is achieved in two ways: firstly, by frequent, almost annual division of the clump, i.e., constant rejuvenation; secondly, by growing the flowers on well-manured plots with abundant watering. Unfortunately, such plants are more often affected by fungal diseases and are less winter-hardy.

Companions: they pair well with tulips, irises, daffodils (narcissi), primulas, and aquilegia. In late May–June the combination of oxeye daisy with the plantain-leaved Doronicum and pink pyrethrum looks very beautiful. These white‑gold‑pink groups with splashes of bright red Oriental poppy flowers are the best decoration for your garden. The eastern Doronicum is ornamental only in spring and then loses its decorative value. Therefore, into its patches one can plant tall, long-lasting ornamental ferns and shade-tolerant foliage plants: ostrich fern, lady fern, male fern, goat's beard (Aruncus), Rodgersia and similar ornamental-leaved, shade-tolerant plants.