Farfugium, the leopard plant, brings a bold, tropical look to shady Southern gardens with big, rounded, glossy leaves that stay handsome from spring until hard frost. As a bonus, clusters of yellow daisy flowers appear on tall stems late in the season, when little else is blooming.

In Birmingham it does best with morning sun or bright shade and consistent moisture; leaves wilt theatrically in dry heat and rebound with water. Plant it near water features, along shaded walks, or massed with ferns and hostas for contrast. Mulch well and it typically returns from the crown each spring.