Chrysogonum virginianum var. australeGoldenstar
Family:Asteraceae
common name:Goldenstar
introduce:Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Asteraceae
Missouri Native: No
Native Range: Southeastern United States
Height: 0.5 to 1 foot
Spread: 1 to 2 feet
Bloom Time: May - October
Bloom Color: Yellow
Sun: Part shade to full shade
Water: Medium to wet
Maintenance: Low
General Culture:
Easily grown in average, medium wet, well-drained soils in part shade to full shade. Prefers moist, rich, organic soils. Tolerates wet soils. Spreads by stolons to form an attractive ground cover, but is easily controlled. Remove spent flower stems for best ground cover appearance. Easily grown from seed and may self-seed in the garden.
Noteworthy Characteristics:
Goldenstar is a rhizomatous, low-growing perennial which typically forms a foliage mat 3-4" tall, but flowering stems bring total plant height to 6-10". Features star-shaped, bright yellow flowers (to 1.5" diameter) on stems originating in the leaf axils. Each flower has five, rounded, slightly-notched, yellow petals and a center tuft of yellow disk flowers. Long, spring to fall bloom period in cool summer climates. In hot summer climates such as St. Louis, bloom is profuse in spring, but usually becomes sparse or stops in the heat of the summer, with a light rebloom occurring in the fall. Ovate, toothed, bright green leaves to 3" long. Var. australe differs from the species (see A250) in two main regards: (1) it is a more prostrate form with shorter flower stems and (2) it spreads more rapidly by above-ground stolons which periodically root at the ends in somewhat the same manner as a strawberry (the species, by contrast, spreads more slowly by underground rhizomes). The Royal Horticultural Society does not recognize the botanical variety and lumps this plant in with the species.
Problems:
No serious insect or disease problems. Some susceptibility to mildew.
Uses:
Ground cover for woodland gardens, native plant gardens or naturalized areas. Edging for woodland paths. Also may be used in shaded areas of border fronts or rock gardens.
