Petasites Giganteus - can these grow in water?

Does anyone here have experience with these?

I saw one, fell in love with the size of their leaves, and now I am the proud owner of a 1 quart pot. I know these need lots of water and light shade. But can they grow in a shallow pond? I would like to put in full sun also. I am probably asking too much of the plant.

Thoughts?

Here it is in plantfiles: http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/80951/index.html

They'd probably do fine at the edge of a pond; in fact, they'd probably love it. Up there in the northwest, it might survive in sun; down here it wouldn't make it without at least partial shade.

Hi Sue! Lucky you! Aren't they cool?? I grow mine in part to full shade right at the gutter downspout. That is where I had them at the other house too and they do great there. I don't know about putting them in full sun or submerged. I'm sure they would do well as bog plants.

They LOVE the bogs.
Down south they raise them in about an inch of water over the crown in Sun.
We go dappled shade moist here.
I just ran into a red stem version I'll be picking up in an hour or so.
Hope you got room! LOL

Ric

Thanks everyone for your replies. Shade is prime real estate in our garden, unfortunately.

Yes, I absolutely LOVE the leaves on this plant. I'm hoping for monster huge!

Henry, you just gave me the courage to plant in sun! And, a red stem version? Please share a photo when you get it!

Well, I might be crazy for planting this way, but I'm willing to try. Only time will tell now!

Just be prepared for some major spreading! I'll soon post a pic of how big my group of them now is. Started with just three plants. In addition, mine is the variegated one which is supposed to spread more slowly! Love them though. Two of the pics on Plantfiles are mine.

Victor

Thanks Victor, I am looking forward to seeing your photos of how they are now.

I just got this yesterday.
It's a little torn up from a pickup truck ride.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnranimals/174048724/

I'll be getting a variegated later in the season.
He had sold out unfortuneately.

I'd think about a bog/type garden for them in the sun.
Excavate down a couple of feet....cover the hole w/ heavy plastic.......cut some holes for drainage........then backfill and plant. Then when you water it will stay wet for a longer period.
These guys real suck up the water.
They will droop in the sun. Don't worry. As soon as they get shade they pop right back up.
You can even see it happen in real time.
Ric

Ric, your plant looks great. Congrats! Wow, I will have to look for the variegated one too. Love anything variegated................

Your bog idea/plan is a good one. I have an old tarp I can use for this purpose.

Hi, I have the plant you's are talking about. Mine used to grow in the shade but since my tulip tree fell it now grows in full sun. It has the largest leaves I ever saw on a plant. I have the plain green leaf one and also the variegated one. The plain green leaf one is very invasive and I have been trying to kill some of it off with round-up.

Hugeposiepatch,
so you send it to me, huh? I see how you are, you try to act all nice and send me a bunch of plants when REALLY you are just trying to unload your invasives on me!
LOL. No actually, I love it, thank you. And thank you for all the others, they are doing well. (Only lost a few- user error!lol)
The leaves are beautiful and huge. some bug seems to like it as well. I found a few lightning bugs on it but they dont seem to be doing anything to it.
ness;-)

Hi Ness, Sorry. When I first got it, it wasn't invasive but after a few years it has spread into my bleeding hearts. I am afraid it will kill them. Which plants did you loose? Maybe we can do a re-send. Let me know. Sandy

You're so sweet! No, thats ok. Perhaps we could do a trade later.
I was just teasing you about the petasites. I do like it.

But if you are ever dividing, etc and have surplus, keep me in mind. I'll pay for postage! Heck if i was closer i'd weed for you in trade! LOL!

Thanks again,
Ness;-)))

You know what Ness---I sure could use the help weeding and mulching--wish you was closer. heeheehee

I knew you was teasing about the petasites but you still got to keep an eye on it--it is a fast spreader. I may have a few flowers later on at the end of July for postage--I'll email and let you know later. Happy 4th! Sandy

The nice thing about Petasites though is a 10' x 10' patch only has about 10 plants.
They aren't terribly deep rooted either so fairly easy to contain in a garden setting.
If I'm dividing I dig after a rain. Pot immediately,
If I'm eradicating then I dig in the heat of midday. Follow the runners.
Then just throw it in the sun for a bit before the compost pile.

Ric

I am just seeing this thread...FYI...this is what I had last year before heavy dose of roundup. It simply took over everything (even though it was in a back area) the roots are as thick as two inches and run about two feet before sprouting up again. I say BEWARE!

levilyla - now I think that it is lovely just as it is. It looks like nature just dropped them in there. Maybe it is that I have so much area and so few plants that I envy something like that planting of yours! What zone r they good to? I am in zone 5. I live on a swampy area that drains thru fall and winter. Clay soil abounds......loads of shade.

....susan

If you have tons of acres and nothing to fill it up (especially if wet) then go ahead and plant it. I remember feeling the same way when I first started out with nothing..(even though just an acre) there were no plants. I planted everything I could find ..invasives and stuff just to fill up the ground..now I am trying to slowly get rid of it all. LOL

It is though not that big a problem if you have it in a regular sized garden.
I go out every Fall and thin it.
A 12' square patch is only 5 or 6 plants! lol

Ric

I don't find it so easy..my "patch" was very large and even now after roundup it has started coming back from those roots. I am now trying to get rid of the lamiastrum..bishop's weed..periwinkle..english ivy..gooseneck loosstrife..pachysandra...fernleaf corydalis...hem. fulva...eupatorium chocolate..herb robert..and the DREADED corydlais heterocarpa. All these things I planted with great joy many years ago.

I feel for you.
I've been rooting out Creeping Buttercup and Rose of Sharon for years and I only have 1/8 acre.
The first one my fault the second came w/ the house.

W/ that list of culprits you have......chemical warfare is about your only hope.
Unless you're zoned agriculture then it's goats and swine.

Ric

I got my Petasites from Ric. LOL

Now I am going to have to hold out until his red stemmed one gets out of control. :)

Someone sent me a variegated one a couple of years ago and it didn't take off. Now that I have lots of shade, I'll have to try for that one again. The ground here is also fairly moist most of the time.

So far the red stemmed is still potted.
We're looking for a spot to unleash it.
I have a source for variegated too (well actually the same source as the red) .
I'll see have to see if he has any ready.

Ric

Please and thank you! If so, will you please E me? I should be back down to the other house tomorrow probably.

I've just noticed this thread and would love to have one of these giants. I have almost bought one several times. I primarily have shade and deep shade, so it would be perfect. However, since I have had experience with other plants getting away from me, I would like to plan ahead. Could this be planted in a huge pot and then have the whole thing planted in the ground? Would it still manage to send runners out through the drainage holes? More importantly, is this plant capable of living in my zone 4a garden? I've noticed that zone 5a is the coldest zone posted in this thread.

Marie

W/ heavy mulching it might make it there.
It grow SO quickly that in a season you'd have a respectable clump as an annual.

Ric

Marie_, If you would like to try both the variegated and the plain--I have lots of plants. Just let me know. Happy Gardening. ~~Sandy~~

The variegated one is not as much of a thug as the all green so I would take her up on that ...as far as potting it up ... it really would have to be a HUGE pot because these roots are very thick and quite long. It may curtail the size of the leaves also and that is one of the neat things (only) about this plant.

Well the flowers are pretty neat too.
Space aliens from the ground! lol

Ric

Can I please be at the bottom of the list for a variegated one? I had one a couple of years ago but it didn't come back in the spring.

Hi Badseed, All I ask is to send me postage and you can have a start of either the variegated or the plain green one. ~~Sandy~~

I would LOVE to have a variegated one too.
I have the regular, but my real garden love is variegated plants.
I kinda tricked the regular one by planting them in between bricks. So far they havent gotten any bigger, but it has only been a year and a half so far.
How bout it hugeposiepatch? Can I get a variegated one for postage too?

Sure, send me some postage and I'll send one out to you.

I just found my way back! Thanks a bunch Sandy. I'll send you a dmail.

I like Rics Brick.. If I had that i wouldn't have to weed,, just identify them and it looks like they are supposed to be there

LOL!
That's an old driveway we found when weeding!

Ric