"Man - Eating" Plant Sighting...

Petasites japonicus var. giganteus, or Japanese butterbur. 

Owen & Ethan

Fun in the Gardens

Maylee, Colin & Sam

 

Huge leaves of Petasites

 

Hannah, Julia & Jung

This plant can be an aggressive grower given the right conditions and it may indeed be biologically invasive in some areas, so caution should be exercised if you are considering growing it.

Lily & Quin

Adam, Sarah, Connor & Sophie

The size and structure of the leaves hint at the habitat ecology of the plant – moist soils in a shady forest. Large leaf surface area typically equates with a high rate of water loss, hence the need for moist soils. The large leaf surface area is also a mechanism for capturing as much available light as possible, a strategy typical of growing in shady conditions. The leaf itself is relatively thin . When considered in tandem with the surface area of the leaf, thin large leaves imply the plant cannot be exposed to high winds.