Giant Butterbur in Michigan

Giant butterbur is no misnomer. Although it is a small almost pathetic looking plant in the early spring, Petasites japonica is certainly giant in the summer!

This plant likes plenty of noon to afternoon sun and lots of water to be a happy and healthy plant. It will survive without these necessities but will not be very impressive. When it is happy and the leaves are impressively large, so is the butterbur's range! Watch out as it will spread.

The plant in the above photo is in a Portage, Michigan garden that has sandy soil and not a lot of shade. We sited this plant where it is protected from summer's worst sun and put an old shower curtain at the bottom of a large hole to hold plenty of water. After the second summer we noticed giant butterbur shoots trying desperately to grow in the lawn, in the shed next to the plant, then the compost pile beyond the shed. It has thick fleshy runners and is not a plant to be used near a natural water source! But in a dry, sandy back yard that can have one wet spot it is perfectly impressive!