Vancouveria chrysantha (23/05/2015, Kew Gardens, London)
Position: Dappled shade
Flowering period: Late spring to early summer
Soil: Moist, well drained
Eventual Height: 30cm
Eventual Spread: 60cm
Hardiness: 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a
Family: Berberidaceae
Vancouveria chrysantha is an evergreen herbaceous perennial with a clump forming habit. Its mid green leaves 3 to 5 foliate. Its leaflets are cordate, slightly three lobed with red entire margins. Its yellow flowers appear as racemes terminally on erect stems and are up to 1cm long. Its elliptic fruit is a two valved capsule. Its roots have rhizomes which aids its slow spread.
Vancouveria chrysantha Flower (23/05/2015, Kew Gardens, London)
Vancouveria chrysantha, commonly known as Golden Inside-Out Flower, is native to west USA. In its native habitat it grows dry mountain scrub and forests.
The etymological root of the binomial name Vancouveria is named after Captain George Vancouver (1757 – 1798). Chrysantha is derived from the Greek xrus meaning ‘golden’ and enteron meaning ‘guts’.
Vancouveria chrysantha Leaf (23/05/2015, Kew Gardens, London)
The landscape architect may find Vancouveria chrysantha useful as an attractive evergreen groundcover suitable for dappled shade locations.
Ecologically, Vancouveria chrysantha flowers are attractive to pollinating insects. Its seeds are dispersed by ants.
Vancouveria chrysantha prefers moist, humus rich, well-drained soils. It tolerates most pH of soil.
Vancouveria chrysantha requires little maintenance.
Landscape Architecture