3 species of herbaceous perennials from China, with spikes yellow flowers over variously shaped foliage. In UK cultivation the most commonly grown is S. tangutica. Also sometimes known as Ligularia or Senecio.
As with all 'daisy-like' flowers, the disc-flowers in the centre of the flowerhead produce nectar and pollen that are attractive to insects, such as bees, hoverflies and butterflies, although it does tend to flower best in damp shady spots that have fewer insects. It has a tendency to persist if it escapes from gardens onto riversides, so it would be prudent to take all possible steps to avoid such spread.