Eastern Doronicum

Family Asteraceae. Occurs wild in the Ciscaucasus, Transcaucasus, Central Europe, the Mediterranean, and Asia Minor.

Perennial plant 30-50 cm tall, with a horizontal bead-like swollen rhizome. Basal leaves ovate-rounded, broadly notched-toothed, light green, on long petioles; stem leaves sessile, ovate-elliptic. Flower heads solitary, 3-5 cm in diameter, on long peduncles. Ray (ligulate) flowers pale yellow, tubular flowers yellow. Blooms from mid-May for 30-40 days. Fruits; seeds ripen in June. It sets very few seeds. Afterwards the plant sharply loses its ornamental value, its leaves wither, so in plantings it is better to use it in the background. In cultivation since 1808. Two cultivars are known: Spring Beauty (Fruhlingspracht) - plants 45 cm tall, inflorescences bright yellow, double, and Gold Dwarf - early-flowering dwarf plants only 15 cm tall. In recent years US breeders have obtained a low, compact cultivar of this species - 'Little Leo', 30-35 cm tall.