Chrysocephalum apiculatum 'Silver and Gold' (Silver and Gold Everlasting) - A low spreading perennial or subshrub to 1 foot tall and spreading to 2 to 3 feet wide with rounded lance-shaped leaves that appear silvery because of their dense silver hairs. The terminal clusters of bright 1/4-inch-wide yellow flowers that darken to orange appear primarily from late winter to early fall, but some flowers can be found nearly year-round.
Plant in full sun or partial shade (best out in the open with good air circulation) in a well-draining soil and irrigate occasionally. Can tolerate a few degrees below freezing but it is best to protect this plant from frost. It is reported to be resistant to deer and possibly rabbit predation. This is a great small plant for a small area groundcover, mixed border or rock garden and is well suited to mixed container plantings.
Chrysocephalum apiculatum 'Silver and Gold' was a selected seedling from Kuranga Native Plant Nursery of Mount Evelyn, Victoria - in Australia this form of the plant is sometimes referred to as the decumbent form to separate it from the upright growing forms. 'Silver and Gold' is a University of California Santa Cruz Arboretum Koala Blooms Plant Introduction – see our Koala Blooms Page for a list of all of these introductions from the UCSC Arboretum.
The genus name Chrysocephalum comes from Greek 'chryso' meaning "golden" and 'cephalus' meaning "head", in reference to the rounded golden yellow flower heads. The specific epithet 'apiculatum' is in reference to the leaves having a small point at their tip. Plants in the genius Chrysocephalum were formerly in Helichrysum, with which they share the papery flower bracts.
This information about Chrysocephalum apiculatum 'Silver and Gold' displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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