Common Name: golden star
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Asteraceae
Zone: 5 to 9
Height: 0.50 to 1.00 feet
Spread: 1.00 to 2.00 feet
Bloom Time: May to October
Bloom Description: Yellow
Sun: Part shade to full shade
Water: Medium to wet
Maintenance: Low
Suggested Use: Ground Cover, Naturalize, Rain Garden
Flower: Showy
Tolerate: Heavy Shade
Culture
Easily grown in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils in part shade to full shade. Prefers moist, acidic, organically rich soils in sun-dappled part shade. Tolerates full sun only if grown in consistently moist soils. Spreads by rhizomes 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
Chrysogonum virginianum, commonly called goldenstar, is a rhizomatous, low-growing perennial which typically forms a foliage mat to 3-4” tall spreading to 18" wide or more. It is native to woodland areas from Pennsylvania to Florida and Louisiana. Star-shaped, daisy-like, bright yellow flowers (to 1.5” diameter) on stems originating in the leaf axils, bloom spring to fall 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 fall. Flowering stems rise above the foliage mat to a height of 8-10" tall. Each flower has five, rounded, slightly-notched, yellow petals and a center tuft of yellow disk flowers. Ovate, toothed, bright green leaves to 3” long.
Var. australe differs from the species 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).
Genus name comes from the Greek words chrysos meaning gold and gonu meaning joint in reference to the location of the flower stems at the leaf axils (stem joints).
Specific epithet means of Virginia.
Common name is in reference to the star-like shape of the 5-petaled flowers.
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.