Description
Telekia –
There are 2 imposing, erect, herbaceous perennials within the Asteraceae family, in this genus. Found in moist woodland and beside streams in scrub, from Central and South European Alps to the Caucasus, Turkey, Ukraine, and Russia. The basal leaves are long stalked, egg shaped, and coarsely toothed, the alternate stem leaves have shorter stalks.. Solitary flowers, with long narrow petals, and yellow centers, which age to brown, and 3 or 4 rows of overlapping involucral bracts, are produced in branching sprays from early summer to early autumn. Telekia species make effective specimen plants for a woodland, wild garden, or beside water.
Grow in moist, not too fertile soil, in partial shade with shelter from strong winds. They may self seed.
Prone to slugs.
T. speciosa – Buphthalmum speciosum – This spreading, rhizomatous perennial grows 6′ feet tall and half as wide. It produces egg shaped, coarsely scalloped to toothed, aromatic, somewhat limp leaves, 12″ or more long, heart shaped at the bases, on stalks to 8″ long. The coarse, upright stems have smaller, almost clasping leaves. In late summer and early autumn, loose,, branching sprays of solitary, daisy like yellow flowers, up to 3 1/2″ across, are borne on long peduncles.
Zones 5-8
