Doronic, <em>Doronicum</em>: planting, propagating and caring for

Description and Botany

Genus Doronicum includes around 35 species of herbaceous perennials native to Eurasia as far as Siberia, where they occur in woods, thickets, meadows, heathland, scree and rocky debris up to 1900 m altitude in Turkey for species orientale (syn. Doronicum caucasicum). In gardens, most commonly cultivated are Caucasian doronic (Doronicum orientale) and Doronicum plantagineum, common in France, together with their varieties or hybrids.

These vigorous deciduous perennials have tuberous or stoloniferous roots with fleshy rootstock, brown outside and white inside, which spread slowly, eventually forming large colonies where conditions suit them. Basal leaves are heart-shaped or ovate, sometimes dentate and finely pubescent (notably in D. plantagineum), borne on a long petiole and gathered in tufts topped by tall, slender, cylindrical, pubescent and little or not ramified flowering stems, 20–100 cm high. These bear a few small sessile leaves, almost embracing. Foliage appears early in spring, quickly followed by flowers, and dies back with excessive summer heat or winter cold.

Inflorescences are solitary heads 2.5–5 cm in diameter, resembling yellow daisies, with very fine golden-yellow ligules, inserted in a single rank, surrounding a canary-yellow centre. Head sits on an involucre of bracts of equal length, imbricate in 2 or 3 ranks. Flowering extends from March to July in the wild but is rather in April for species orientale and in May–June for plantagineum. Flowering becomes more generous with time. Do not worry if foliage disappears during summer. Heat and drought often induce dormancy, notably in D. orientale, which produces new foliage in autumn and can sometimes rebloom if spent flowers are removed. Plant longevity is very variable, from very short to very long when situation suits it, i.e. a sunny position combined with well drained, rich and fresh soil.

Doronicum orientale: botanical illustration and flowering

Fruits are achenes, oblong and cylindrical, villous and marked by deep furrows, of two types: central ones bear an egret of bristles while peripheral ones are naked, which helps distinguish Doronicum from genus Arnica that presents an egret on all achenes, which are otherwise less furrowed.

Main varieties of Doronicum

Varieties of the species Doronicum orientale

Doronicum orientale Little Leo

Rhizomatous perennial, slowly spreading, producing early-spring charming double daisy-shaped flowers of a very bright yellow. Thrives in full sun in well-drained soil.

• Flowering time April to June
• Height at maturity 60 cm

See the product sheet

Doronicum orientale Magnificum

Early-flowering perennial that brightens gardens with large daisies with finely cut lemon-yellow petals on heart-shaped, dentate, light-green foliage.

• Flowering time May, June
• Height at maturity 50 cm

See the product sheet

Varieties of the species Doronicum plantagineum

Doronicum plantagineum Excelsum

Stoloniferous perennial with delicate daisy-shaped flowers, 10 cm in diameter, in a very cheerful yellow that brighten a handsome clump of ovate to lanceolate light-green leaves. Hardy and robust, requires little maintenance but prefers fresh soil.

• Flowering time May, June
• Height at maturity 60 cm

See the product sheet

Planting

Where to plant Doronic?

Plant Doronic in a sunny or semi-shaded position, in fresh, well-draining, preferably sandy-loam soil. It is rarely affected by parasitic pests; avoid planting in heavy, waterlogged soil where its stump could rot, particularly species orientale.

If soil is very sandy, add a handful of turf to retain some moisture.

When to plant?

Prefer autumn — September to November — to plant Doronics, or February–March.

How to plant?

This plant is easy to grow.

• Dip bucket into a pail of water to thoroughly moisten it.
• Dig a wide hole at least 3 times wider than the rootball because roots remain fairly superficial and spread widely.
• Add a few handfuls of sand and gravel to ensure good drainage around the roots. In heavy soil, choose planting on a raised mound or within a rockery.
• Apply a dose of horn meal if soil is sandy.
• Place the plant in the planting hole slightly burying the plant’s collar.
• Replace soil and firm down lightly.
• Water and mulch if climate is dry.

Care

• Water the soil from April if spring is dry.
• Remove faded flowers to avoid weakening the stump.
• Mulch the soil in summer to keep it cool.
• A rainy summer can favour downy mildew on the foliage. Remove infected leaves and, if necessary, spray with horsetail manure.
  An excess of moisture in winter can rot the stump. Plant it in a rockery or add gravel to the bottom of the hole.

Multiplication

Simplest propagation method is to divide the clump in autumn or sow in spring.

Clump division

Separate clumps of leaves in autumn and replant them immediately in soil or in pots filled with potting compost mixed with sand.

Sowing

Sow under cold frame from February to April, using seeds harvested in summer.

Pot on as soon as seedlings can be handled and set out young plants in open ground the following autumn.

Uses and companion plants

With their wild look and robustness, doronics can form pretty tapeta in a leafy woodland understorey, their shoots still in bud when primroses, columbines, pulmonaries, lady’s mantles, wild garlic, daffodils and squills are coming into flower — a slightly wild mix that bees will love!

A fine example of an association in partial shade: Hyacinthoides hispanica and Allium ursinum, Doronicum (‘Little Leo’, ‘Magnificum’), Hosta sieboldiana var. elegans and Euphorbia polychroma

They are also used in borders or at the foot of spring bushes such as Japanese quince or deciduous Ceanothus, or planted in a rockery. They provide a light, luminous presence among spring bulbs such as tulips, mingling with the blue of forget-me-nots and the orange of Iceland poppies.

For a very graphic effect, plant a black tapetum of Ophiopogon niger with a few clumps of Doronicum and add one or more bulbs of the striking Fritillaria Persica Adiyaman. This combination will also work in a large colourful container because doronic does not fear being grown in urns and pots.

Feel free to pick its flowers as buds open to make brilliant spring bouquets.