Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592
Kew Species Profiles
Doronicum orientale is one of the earliest-flowering of the yellow daisies, the flowerheads usually opening in April and May. It grows from a thickened rhizome (underground stem). The softly-hairy leaves appear in February, and the plant becomes dormant by late summer. The flower stems are upright, unbranched, and usually bear a single leaf. The narrow ray florets are lemon-yellow.
Native to south-eastern Europe, from Italy, Sicily and the Balkans to the Caucasus and much of Turkey, extending into northern Syria.
DescriptionA perennial herb up to 140 cm tall. The rhizome is tuberous, branching and shortly creeping to form wide patches. The leaves are mostly basal, broadly ovate, cordate (heart-shaped) at the base, shortly hairy, 6-10 cm long and 5-8 cm wide. The flowering stem is sticky-hairy, up to 60 cm long, with 1 or 2 leaves with amplexicaul (stem-embracing) leaf bases. The flowerhead (capitulum) is solitary, up to 8 cm across, with numerous, narrow ray florets. The fruits have a short pappus.
UsesDoronicum orientale is cultivated as an ornamental.
It might have been used in herbal medicine in the past, although it could have been confused with Arnica montana (arnica) or Aconitum lycoctonum (wolfsbane), which have both also been known by the common name 'leopard's bane'.
Millennium Seed Bank: Seed storageKew's Millennium Seed Bank Partnership aims to save plant life world wide, focusing on plants under threat and those of most use in the future. Seeds are dried, packaged and stored at a sub-zero temperature in our seed bank vault.
Description of seeds: Average 1,000 seed weight = 1.2 g
Number of seed collections stored in the Millennium Seed Bank: One
Composition values: Average oil content = 38.4%. Average protein content = 20.6%
CultivationDoronicum orientale is easily grown in semi-shade in woodland, or under trees, but there are also cultivars which thrive in full sun and are suitable for herbaceous borders. It requires light in early summer and tolerates well-drained, stony ground. Propagation is by division in the autumn. A number of cultivars with subtly different ray floret colours are available.
This species at KewDoronicum orientale is not currently grown at Kew, but other species of Doronicum can be seen growing in the Rock Garden and Woodland Garden (around the Temple of Aeolus).
Alcohol-preserved and pressed and dried specimens of Doronicum species are held in Kew's Herbarium, where they are available to researchers, by appointment. The details of some of these specimens can be seen online in the Herbarium Catalogue.
Doronicum species are poisonous to cattle and pigs.
