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Chrysogonum virginianum L. var. australe
Southern Green-and-Gold, Gulf Coast Green-and-Gold, Golden Knees, Golden Star

Photo by peganum

Green-and-Gold, of which there are several forms, is a hardy, low-growing, long-blooming herbaceous perennial found along woodland edges and clearings on the East coast from New York south to Florida and west to Louisiana. With attractive, semi-evergreen foliage, bright yellow 1.5-inch daisy-like flowers on fuzzy stalks for much of the growing season, and an unfussy attitude about soils (as long as they are well drained), Green-and-Gold is considered a work horse in the native garden. Wiith sufficient even moisture, it can take full sun but prefers protection, especially in the afternoon, and grows best in dappled or morning sun. Leaves are opposite, oval and softly pubescent with a crenate (round-toothed) margin. Flowering peaks in May, decreasing in the heat of summer and then flowering again late in the season. Weakley presents this form as Chrysogonum australe, a separate species (others consider it a natural variety of C. virginianum). It is found in Northern and central Georgia through the Florida panhandle to some counties in southern Alabama and Mississippi (“australe” means “southern”). It’s growth form is distinctly stoloniferous, with flowering stalks only 4-5 inches high, the stolons (above-ground rhizomes) up to 2 feet. ‘Eco-Laquered Spider’ is a cultivar of C. australe, and it is easily grown as a successful, attractive groundcover on its own or as a base for larger plants. The USDA plant distribution map linked below is for the variety australe.

Last Updated: May 20, 2019

Key Info

Scientific Name: Chrysogonum australe Alexander ex Small, synonym Chrysogonum virginianum L. var. australe (Alexander ex Small) H.E. Ahles
Common Names: Southern Green-and-Gold, Gulf Coast Green-and-Gold, Golden Knees, Golden Star
Family Name: Asteraceae (Composite, or Daisy Family)
Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial, Groundcover
Uses: Woodland Garden, Naturalizing, Butterfly garden, Groundcover, Rock garden
Light Requirement: Dappled sun, Full shade-bright, Partial/sunny, Partial/shady
Moisture Requirement: Dry, Medium
Leaf Retention: Semi-evergreen
Bloom Times: Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
Flower Color: Yellow
Special Characteristics: Attracts bees, Attracts butterflies, Tolerates shade, Groundcover, Tolerates dry conditions, Stoloniferous, Long blooming period, Nectar plant, Semi-evergreen, Reported to be deer resistant.

Additional Info

Habit: The leaves of the southern form of this plant, C. australe, form a basal rosette with a very short upright stem, spreading by long stolons. The variety C. virginianum var. virginianum is a clumper without stolons, and the third form, C. virginianum var. brevistolon is intermediate, with short stolons. Central NC is in a region of overlap of the varieties brevistolon and virginianum.
Height: 0.5'
Spread: Indeterminate
Growth Rate: Medium to fast
Soil Conditions: Moist, well-drained to dry soils that are acidic to neutral, rich, sand, clay, loam.
Leaves: Leaves are opposite, simple, elliptic to ovate, medium green, 1-3 inches long, pubescent, with crenate (rounded teeth) margins on fuzzy hairy stems.
Flowers (or reproductive structures): The solitary flowers are terminal but appear axillary due to elongation of lateral branches (Radford). Each bright yellow flower head has 5 pistillate, notched ray flowers and 25-50 staminate disc flowers.
Fruit: Nutlets are dark brown or black, oval, flattened and pubescent. They mature 2-3 weeks after the yellow ray flowers fade and drop.
Natural Distribution: Mesic hardwood forests, on ravine slopes and on higher terraces along streams; moist to fairly dry, sandy or rocky woodlands and forests.
USDA Hardiness Zone: 5 to 9
USDA Wetland Indicator Status in NC: not available.
Pollination: Bees, butterflies, other insects
Wildlife Connections: The flower nectar attracts bees, butterflies and other insects. These plants provide cover for smaller woodland mammals and reptiles, which, along with ground feeding birds, also consume the nutlets (seeds). The seeds are associated with elaiasomes, a fleshy, oil-rich structure that functions to attract ants which disperse the seeds.
Cultural Notes: This form of Green-and-Gold spreads primarily by stolons, making it an excellent groundcover. Spread is easily controlled and it is not overly aggressive. Irrigation during drought would be appropriate with afternoon exposure to the sun. Green-and-Gold prefers dry to wet, and will thrive in clay soils if they are amended with organic matter to improve drainage.
Downside: Green-and-Gold has no serious pests or diseases, though it can suffer from fungal attacks if soil is poorly drained or mulch is too thick.
Propagation: Green-and-Gold is usually propagated by digging up the rooted plantlets.
USDA/NRCS Plant Distribution Map: View Map at USDA.gov

Availability

Available: Quarts, $8

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Cure Nursery is a small nursery propagating and selling native plants for the Southeastern U.S. We are located near the town of Pittsboro, Chatham County, in central NC.

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