Farfugium japonicum is an evergreen perennial grown for its large, glossy, rounded leaves. It blooms yellow daisy-like flowers on tall stems in fall, but the foliage is the main reason gardeners use it. It works as a structural plant in shady, moist beds and along water features.
It needs consistent moisture and shelter from direct sun, which scorches the leaves. In Zone 6b it is marginally hardy and survives only in protected microclimates with heavy mulch; many growers treat it as a container plant moved indoors over winter. Divide clumps in spring to propagate.
Crown Rot
Lower leaves yellow and wilt; the base of the rosette turns brown and soft, sometimes with white fungal threads at the soil line. Plants collapse in wet conditions.
Remove and destroy affected plants. Improve drainage and avoid overhead watering. Do not mulch directly against the crown. Space plants for airflow and avoid replanting in the same wet spot.
Fungal leaf spot
Brown or purplish spots on the leaves, often ringed with a yellow halo, that spread and merge in warm, humid, or wet weather; heavily spotted leaves yellow and drop early.
Pick off spotted leaves and clear fallen debris to remove overwintering spores. Improve air circulation by thinning, and water at the base so foliage dries quickly. If it persists, apply a copper- or sulfur-based fungicide at the first sign.
Slug and Snail Damage
Deroceras reticulatum →Large irregular holes chewed in leaves, with slime trails on foliage and soil.
Hand-pick at night, set beer traps, or apply iron phosphate bait. Remove debris and mulch where they hide.