Looking for gold evergreen smaller than 2 feet

last year

Looking for a very petite gold evergreen for zone 8. Less than 2 feet tall and wide. I know it's a tall (small) order! So far I've come up with euonymous gold splash (not a good option since there are deer in this area) and brass buckle holly. I like the brass buckle holly but want to know if there's something else out there I'm not aware of. Thanks for any ideas :)

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Dave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A

last year

last modified: last year

Sun or shade? Dry or wet? As a ground cover or more mounding?

Ilex crenata Touch of Gold® ('Adorned') would eventually need some minor pruning. Similar to 'Drops of Gold'. 'Golden Hellerei' may work for your region. It doesn't get quite the gold up in my area though.

Abelia ''Lemon Lime' or 'Miss Lemon' would eventually need some easy tidying up.

'Mojo' and Cream De Mint® Pittosporums are not really gold, but have a cream-edged leaf. Nice evergreen though. perfect small mound. Not sure what deer think of it.

For dry sun, 'Mother Lode' juniper is nice. Deer and drought proof.

Some of the evergreen Daphnes can approach gold edge, but probably more cream-edged.

For well-drained part sun, you could try one of the golden Heucheras (Corel Bell) like 'Electra' or 'Lemon Love'. There are many gold varieties out there. Heucheras are perennials and not shrubs though.

For arid, hot and dry, consider Yucca filamentosa 'Color Guard'.

'Lemon-Lime' Nandina is industrial. Newer growth is gold. Sterile cultivar.

More a low ground cover, Ajuga tenorei 'Cordial Canary' and 'Tropical Toucan' have chartreuse foliage and blue flowers.

Numerous Hostas are golden, but the deer.

If you like conifers, there are a number of small mouding Chamaecyparis such as 'Night LIght'.

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Comments (8)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
last year
Lonicera nitida ‘Twiggy’

Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Butterball'

Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Golden Nymph'

Calluna vulgaris 'Marion Blum', 'Pennyacre Lemon' and various others

Erica carnea 'Aurea', 'Golden Starlet' and 'Rosalinde Schorn'
sara82lee
Original Author
last year
Oooh gardengal these are so good! Thank you!!
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sara82lee
Original Author
last year
Hi Dave, I should have said full sun. Average acidic soil, some clay but not a lot.

Do you think those abelias can be kept smaller than two feet?
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
last year
" Do you think those abelias can be kept smaller than two feet? "

Would require periodic pruning. I am not aware of any of the dwarf variegated abelias that don't exceed 2'x2' eventually, usually wider than tall. They are also inclined to throw out some long whippy growth from time to time. The need for pruning (at least annually if not more frequently) may impact flowering, if that's a concern.
forever_a_newbie_VA8
last year
last modified: last year
While visiting Seattle I notice a lot of people grow winter heath Erica carnea in their front yards. I think they are ver pretty

Thanks @gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9) for correction 🤩
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
last year
Winter heath AND Chamaecyparis obtusa?? Both are quite popular plants here but they are certainly not the same!! The don't even look much alike :-))
forever_a_newbie_VA8
last year
@gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9), excuse my error. I was copying the wrong words 😼