Giant Tractor Seat Plant (Farfugium japonicum var. giganteum)

Giant Tractor Seat Plant
(Farfugium japonicum var. giganteum)

A blooming Farfugium, a plant typically used as a dense groundcover.

The giant tractor seat plant (Farfugium japonicum var. giganteum) is a member of the sunflower family (Asteraceae) and native to Japan, China, Korea, and Taiwan. In Japan, it grows wild in meadows, along streams, and near the seashore, and is also commonly cultivated in gardens across the islands of Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. Valued for its adaptability, the giant tractor seat plant thrives as an elegant ground cover or bedding plant in shady gardens, and flourishes equally well at higher elevations in partly sunny locations where cooler temperatures prevail.

The kidney-shaped leaf with its glossy sheen and round, curved form resembling a vintage tractor seat.

The plant is easily recognised by its bold kidney-shaped leaves that are thick, leathery, and glossy on the upper surface, with a soft covering of hairs when young. Its common name is tractor seat plant due to the distinctive leaf shape, which resembles an old-fashioned tractor seat. Among the Farfugium varieties, var. giganteum is the largest and perhaps the most impressive. While most plants of the species usually produce leaves measuring 20 to 30 cm across, the leaves of this giant variety can reach an eye-catching 38 to 45 cm or more in diameter upon maturity.

A closer look at the delicate young flower heads of the giant tractor seat plant, waiting to unfurl.

A closer look at the daisy-like flowers of the giant tractor seat plant, exhibiting similar characteristics with other members of the daisy (Asteraceae) family, namely flower heads composed of a ring of sterile ray florets surrounding dozens of central disc florets.

Rising above the foliage, slender stalks reach 60 to 75 cm tall, topped with loose clusters of yellow daisy-like flower heads measuring 4 to 6 cm across. Farfugium japonicum is typically pollinated by bees, syrphid flies, and butterflies, especially when it grows in open, sunlit areas.

Spot the giant tractor seat plant spilling out of its planter bed in Cloud Forest!

As you make your way up toward the lift lobby of the Cloud Forest mountain, look to the right planting bed just after crossing the bridge. Here you’ll find this impressive plant, true to its name, with strikingly large, architectural leaves that turn a narrow planter bed into a dramatic focal point.

Written by: Ziana Yacob, Senior Manager (Research and Horticulture)

Ziana's fascination with the many wonders of plants led her to study Horticulture. She has been involved in propagating and nurturing in-house plant collections, with a special focus on orchids. Keeping plants thriving is both a rewarding challenge and a continuous journey of learning for her!