Green and gold

Sun

Partial shade is best. It tolerates full sun with consistently moist soil, but benefits from afternoon shade in hot climates.

Water

Keep evenly moist while establishing. Established plants tolerate brief dry spells, but prolonged drought can cause thinning and leaf loss.

Soil

Humus-rich, well-drained soil, preferably slightly acidic to neutral. Avoid sites that stay waterlogged.

Height

0.5-1 ft (0.15-0.3 m)

Spread

1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m), gradually spreading farther where stems root

Flowers

Bright yellow flowers mainly in spring and early summer, with scattered repeat flowers into autumn in favourable conditions.

Foliage

Opposite, hairy, oval leaves with toothed edges form low green patches. Semi-evergreen in mild climates; foliage may die back in cold winters.

Growth

Moderate; spreading habit varies among forms and growing conditions.

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Heat tolerant
• Wildlife
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.2 ft (0.06 m)

2. After 1 year

   0.4 ft (0.12 m)

3. After 2 years

   0.6 ft (0.19 m)

4. After 3 years

   0.7 ft (0.22 m)

   full size

About 3 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Native to

the US

Growth rate

Moderate

• Water during the first growing season whenever the upper soil begins to dry.
• Water established patches during prolonged dry weather, especially beneath trees.
• Apply a thin layer of leaf mould or compost in spring; routine fertiliser is usually unnecessary.
• Keep heavy mulch away from crowns and rooting stems.
• Divide crowded or thinning patches in spring or early autumn.

Pruning. Remove winter-damaged leaves in early spring without cutting into the crowns. After the main flowering period, trim untidy stems or unwanted spread; deadheading is optional.

Early spring

Remove dead foliage and check that crowns are not buried under wet leaves.

Spring

Plant or divide patches, water thoroughly and top-dress lightly with compost.

Late spring

Weed between plants while patches are filling in.

Summer

Water during extended dry spells and trim back stems that cross paths or edging.

Early autumn

Divide or transplant rooted sections while the soil is still warm and moist.

Winter

Avoid walking on wet patches and clear any dense, sodden leaf cover.

• Plant beneath deciduous shrubs to provide spring flowers before the canopy becomes dense.
• Use along a shaded path as a low flowering edge, keeping it out of regular foot traffic.
• Combine with ferns, sedges and woodland perennials for contrasting leaf shapes.
• Use between larger perennials to cover bare soil in a partly shaded border.

Garden styles it suits: Woodland, Wildlife garden, Pollinator garden, Cottage garden and Low-maintenance.

Plant it with: Christmas fern, Foamflower, Wild geranium, Woodland phlox, Coral bells and Pennsylvania sedge.

Wildlife: The flowers provide pollen and nectar for small bees and other insects. Dense foliage offers shelter for small ground-dwelling invertebrates.

• Slugs and snails may chew young foliage; remove hiding places and use traps or a locally approved iron-phosphate bait if needed.
• Powdery mildew can affect crowded plants; improve airflow, divide dense patches and avoid drought stress.
• Crown or root rot can develop in waterlogged soil; improve drainage and remove badly affected plants.
• Hot, dry conditions can scorch leaves and thin the patch; provide afternoon shade and water deeply during drought.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses. Species-specific safety information is limited, so do not treat the leaves, flowers or roots as edible.

• Barren strawberry (Geum fragarioides)

  Also known as Waldsteinia fragarioides, it has leaves divided into three leaflets and five rounded yellow petals; green and gold has simple, opposite leaves and daisy-like flower heads with a central disc.

• Creeping buttercup (Ranunculus repens)

  Creeping buttercup has divided leaves, long runners and glossy yellow petals. Green and gold has undivided, hairy leaves and less glossy, daisy-like flower heads.

Chrysogonum comes from Greek words meaning 'gold' and 'knee', referring to the yellow flowers and jointed stems, while virginianum means 'of Virginia'.

Propagation. Divide established patches in spring or early autumn, or lift rooted stems and replant them. Seed can also be used, but seedlings may differ from named cultivars.

Accepted botanical name

Chrysogonum virginianum

In the US and Canada

Native in the lower 48 states.

Native range

District of Columbia, Kentucky, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.