Roldana plant tolerates a wide range of soils and irrigation practices and, although drought resistant, plants look best with occasional irrigation. It prefers to be planted in full sun in wind sheltered coastal gardens as leaves are torn by wind and they will droop in high temperatures, but also grows pretty well in dry shade where leaves get larger, but it tends not to flower as much in these conditions. It is cold hardy to the mid 20s ° F, but can freeze to the ground and resprout after even colder temperatures. With its bold large foliage, it lends a tropical look in the garden without the accompanying high water requirements. Best treated as a large shrubby perennial as it looks much better if it is cut back hard after flowering.

Roldana petasitis is a shrubby member of the Groundsel group of the daisy family (Asteraceae) from the mountainous areas of Oaxaca of Mexico and is most commonly known and referred to as Senecio petasitis but is has been reclassified as Roldana petasitis. It has also been known as Cineraria petasitis and sometimes is referred to as the California Geranium. The name Roldana was published by Dr. Pablo de La Llave (1773 – 1833), a Mexican priest and naturalist, in 1925 to honor Eugenio Montaña y Roldan Otumbensi, who was thought to be a hero in a battle on the plains of Apam near Mexico City. This plant and the closely related Roldana petasitis as well as Roldana aschenborniana that we also grow were moved from Senecio to the genus Roldana in 1972 by Smithsonian botanists Harold Ernest Robinson and Robert D. Brettell in their "Studies in the Senecionae (Asteraceae): The Genera Psacaliopsis, Barkleyanthus, Telanthophora and Roldana" in Phytologia 27: 420 (1974). This same paper constructed the new genus Telanthophora. We also grow a similar plant that has red petioles and larger leaves that is called Roldana cristobalensis. 

This information about Roldana petasitis displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.