Landscape Uses:Container, Ground cover, Massing, Woodland garden. Succeeds in ordinary garden soil[1], but prefers a deep fertile humus-rich soil that is permanently moist but not stagnant, succeeding in shade, semi-shade or full sun[200]. Requires a moist shady position[187]. Plants can be grown in quite coarse grass, which can be cut annually in the autumn[233]. A very invasive plant, too rampant for anything other than the wild garden[187, 200]. Its roots are very difficult to eradicate[200]. The sub-species P. japonicus giganteus has huge leaves up to 1.5 metres across on stems 2 metres tall[187]. It has a poorer flavour than the species type[206]. Sometimes cultivated in E. Asia as a food plant[1, 58]. Dioecious, male and female plants must be grown if seed is required. Special Features:Attractive foliage, Not North American native, Invasive, Wetlands plant, Flower characteristics are unknown. Petasites japonicus giganteus (Petasites japonicus subsp. giganteus F.Schmidt ex Kitam) is a larger version of Petasites japonicus commonly know as giant fuki. It can grow in similar hardiness zones to fuki but can grow in wetter conditions and tolerate more sun. It can grow to 5 ft (1.5m). The plant is heat tolerant in zones 9 through 5. (Plant Hardiness Zones show how well plants withstand cold winter temperatures. Plant Heat Zones show when plants would start suffering from the heat. The Plant Heat Zone map is based on the number of "heat days" experienced in a given area where the temperature climbs to over 86 degrees F (30°C). At this temperature, many plants begin to suffer physiological damage. Heat Zones range from 1 (no heat days) to 12 (210 or more heat days). For example Heat Zone. 11-1 indicates that the plant is heat tolerant in zones 11 through 1.) For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. The plant growth habit is a runner spreading indefinitely by rhizomes or stolons [1-2]. The root pattern is rhizomatous with underground stems sending roots and shoots along their length [1-2].