Wintercreeper 'Emerald 'n' Gold'

Questions about wintercreeper 'Emerald 'n' Gold'

Does wintercreeper 'Emerald 'n' Gold' need sun or shade?

Wintercreeper 'Emerald 'n' Gold' grows in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun a day), part sun (4 to 6 hours of sun, including some afternoon sun), part shade (2 to 4 hours of sun, mostly in the morning) and shade (less than 2 hours of direct sun, or bright dappled light).

It wants ordinary well-drained soil, of average fertility, and little watering once settled.

What zones does wintercreeper 'Emerald 'n' Gold' grow in?

USDA zones 5 to 8. It is hardy to zone 5, which means it survives winter nights down to about −10 °F (−23 °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.

How far apart should wintercreeper 'Emerald 'n' Gold' be planted?

2½ ft (75 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 3 ft (90 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 20 in (50 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many wintercreeper 'Emerald 'n' Gold' plants do I need?

At 2½ ft apart, set out in staggered rows:

• 2 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
• 5 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
• 6 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.

Is wintercreeper 'Emerald 'n' Gold' poisonous to dogs and cats?

Yes: moderate toxicity to people, dogs, cats and horses. All parts, especially the berries, are poisonous if eaten.

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

What can I plant instead of wintercreeper 'Emerald 'n' Gold'?

Wintercreeper 'Emerald 'n' Gold' is listed as invasive in parts of North America (4 listings), so the planner never uses it. These do the most similar job, and are native:

• Cliff green: the same job in a bed; 8 in shorter, 6 in narrower.
• Lowbush blueberry: the same job in a bed; 4 in shorter, 12 in narrower.
• Dwarf balsam fir: a specimen, not a carpet, belongs in the middle, not at the front.

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

Do deer eat wintercreeper 'Emerald 'n' Gold'?

They may. NC State does not list it as resistant to deer or rabbits. Where they visit, protect it, or plant it among ones they avoid.

Will wintercreeper 'Emerald 'n' Gold' spread?

It spreads sideways, by runners or roots; the risk of it taking over is high. Spreads by rooting stems and bird-carried seed, and climbs if it meets a wall or tree. The species is listed as invasive across much of the eastern United States. Keep it clipped so that it does not flower.

It is listed as invasive in parts of North America, and the planner never chooses it.

What does wintercreeper 'Emerald 'n' Gold' look like in winter?

Wintercreeper 'Emerald 'n' Gold' keeps its variegated and chartreuse 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 wintercreeper 'Emerald 'n' Gold' good for bees and butterflies?

Wintercreeper 'Emerald 'n' Gold' is visited by bees and songbirds.