Goldmoss stonecrop

Questions about goldmoss stonecrop

Does goldmoss stonecrop need sun or shade?

Goldmoss stonecrop grows in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun a day).

It wants dry, sharply drained soil, on the lean side, with no feeding, and little watering once settled. Once settled in, it stands drought.

What zones does goldmoss stonecrop grow in?

USDA zones 3 to 8. It is hardy to zone 3, which means it survives winter nights down to about −30 °F (−34 °C).

Above zone 8 it struggles: the zones measure winter cold, but a plant's top zone usually means the summers are too hot or the winters too mild for it to rest.

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

When does goldmoss stonecrop flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers late May to late June. As a spring flower it moves about a week for every zone: earlier where it is warmer, later where it is colder.

Worked out from Hopkins' bioclimatic law: spring arrives about four days later for each degree of latitude north, and one zone is roughly two degrees. A warm spring or a cold one moves any garden two weeks either way.

How far apart should goldmoss stonecrop be planted?

12 in (30 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 18 in (45 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 3 in (8 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many goldmoss stonecrop plants do I need?

At 12 in apart, set out in staggered rows:

• 12 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
• 11 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
• 38 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own

In a mixed border, plant it as threes and fives, along the front and just behind it.

In the bed above, the planner used eight in two groups.

Is goldmoss stonecrop poisonous?

Yes: mild toxicity to people. The acrid sap can irritate skin, and causes stomach upset if eaten.

Rated from NC State Extension. Where references disagree, the more cautious rating is used.

Is there a native plant like goldmoss stonecrop?

Goldmoss stonecrop comes from Greenland, Eastern Europe to Mediterranean, Balkans and Caucasus. These North American natives come closest to doing its job:

• Woolly yarrow: the same job in a bed, the same flowering time and the same colour; 5 in taller, not evergreen.
• Three-toothed cinquefoil: the same job in a bed, the same size and the same flowering time; white, not yellow.

Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.

Do deer eat goldmoss stonecrop?

Mostly not. NC State lists it as resistant to deer and rabbits. No plant is proof against a hungry deer in a hard winter, but this one is low on the menu.

Will goldmoss stonecrop spread?

It spreads sideways, by runners or roots; the risk of it taking over is high. Spreads fast: every broken piece roots, and it creeps into lawns and neighbouring plants. Use it only in walls, paving and other contained places.

What flowers after goldmoss stonecrop?

Goldmoss stonecrop is over by late June. These start as it finishes and carry the same spot on, so it never goes flat:

• Black-eyed Susan: from mid July to mid September, 24 in tall.
• Butterfly weed: from late June to early August, 24 in tall.
• Carpathian bellflower 'Blue Clips': from late June to late August, 8 in tall.

What does goldmoss stonecrop look like in winter?

Goldmoss stonecrop keeps its green leaves all winter, so it is one of the plants that hold a bed together from November to March, when the perennials have gone.

Is goldmoss stonecrop good for bees and butterflies?

Goldmoss stonecrop is visited by pollinators, butterflies and songbirds.