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Chrysosplenium oppositifolium

opposite-leaved golden-saxifrage

Saxifragaceae Western and central Europe

Attracts Pollinators Container Friendly

SunPart Shade – Full Shade

WaterHigh

HardinessZones 5–8

Overview

Chrysosplenium oppositifolium is a low, creeping, mat-forming perennial of wet shaded ground, reaching only 5-15 cm (2-6 in) high but spreading widely by rooting runners. It has rounded to kidney-shaped, shallowly scalloped leaves 0.5-2 cm (0.2-0.8 in) across, arranged in opposite pairs along soft, square, slightly hairy stems. From early spring it produces flat-topped clusters of tiny flowers that lack petals; the colour comes instead from a ring of yellow-green leafy bracts around each cluster, giving a flush of gold across the mat. It spreads by leafy stolons that root as they go, forming continuous carpets over wet rock, mud, and stream gravel. The shallow roots make it easy to dislodge, and the plant collapses quickly if the ground dries out. Top growth is largely deciduous, dying back in dry summers and over hard winters before reappearing. It grows in deep shade and constant moisture where few other plants persist, but cannot tolerate drought, full sun, or competition from taller vegetation.

Native Range

Chrysosplenium oppositifolium is native to western and central Europe, from the British Isles and Iberia to Scandinavia. It grows in wet woodland, by shaded springs and streams, and on dripping rocks and flushes, usually on acid to neutral soils. It is not native to North America.

Suggested Uses

Used as ground cover in wet, shaded gardens, on stream and pond margins, and over damp rocks and waterfall surrounds. Planted in bog gardens and shaded paving where the soil stays wet year-round. Its need for constant moisture and shade limits it to consistently damp sites.

How to Identify

Identify Chrysosplenium oppositifolium by its low golden-green mats of paired, rounded, scalloped leaves and its flat clusters of petalless flowers ringed by yellow-green bracts in spring. The opposite leaf arrangement separates it from the similar Chrysosplenium alternifolium, which has alternate leaves and is usually larger. It grows flat against wet ground, rooting from creeping stems.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height2" - 6"

Width/Spread1' - 2'

Reaches mature size in approximately 2 years

Colors

Flower Colors

yellow

green

Foliage Colors

green

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~10 weeks

Spring Summer

Flowering runs from March to July, earliest in mild, sheltered sites. The yellow-green bract clusters appear with the fresh spring foliage and carry the colour for several weeks. Small seed capsules follow, splashed open and dispersed by falling water.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

Golden-green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunPartial Shade SunFull Shade

Tolerates up to 4 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range4.5 - 7.0(Acidic)

357912

Soil Types

loam silt peat

Drainagewet

Water & Climate

Water Needs

High

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

1-2 years

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grow Chrysosplenium oppositifolium in constantly moist to wet soil in partial to deep shade, such as stream banks, shaded bog gardens, and damp paving cracks. It needs acid to neutral, humus-rich ground and steady moisture, failing quickly in dry or sunny positions. The plant is hardy and needs no winter protection across temperate zones. Establish it from rooted runners or divisions pressed onto wet ground in spring or autumn. Keep the surface damp until the runners take hold. It needs no feeding and little care once the mat has knitted together.

Pruning

No pruning is needed for this creeping carpeter. Lift and replant rooted runners in spring or autumn to spread it or fill gaps. Clear smothering leaf litter or taller plants that would shade and crowd the low mats.