10 stunning perennials with golden or yellow foliage

Persicaria 'Golden Arrow'

Even without flowers, Persicaria amplexicaulis ‘Golden Arrow’ is already a very beautiful perennial. Its large lance-shaped leaves are a bright chartreuse yellow throughout the season, and they also take on purplish-red hues in autumn, complementing the end of the season. Between early spring and autumn, long, slender deep red spikes stand out against its golden foliage, creating a lovely contrast. The plant goes dormant in winter, then comes back even stronger the following season, gradually expanding to form an opulent clump, up to 60 cm tall. Plant it in full sun or partial shade, in any rich, heavy soil that remains cool, even moist. Hardy, it is an excellent plant for banks, borders, and light woodland. This ground cover makes a majestic statement in many gardens, from the most graphic to the most romantic.

⇒ Discover our wide range of Persicarias.

⇒ All our tips for planting, growing, and maintaining Persicarias.

Chinese fountain grass

Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Hameln Gold’ is one of those grasses that catches the eye. Its slender, acid-yellow foliage gradually takes on increasingly golden hues, eventually turning straw-yellow, and remains decorative for many months. Even in the heart of winter, its dried foliage captures light and adds depth to the garden, especially when the low sun or frost highlights its fountain-like silhouette. This hardy perennial forms a cushion 40 centimetres in all directions, from which emerge, at the beginning of summer, greenish-white spikes, turning more beige as they mature. This hardy Pennisetum adapts to any soil that is not too heavy and well-drained in winter. While it tolerates drought, a soil that remains cool during the season enhances its beauty even further. Planted in full sun or partial shade, it accentuates borders or corners of beds and lightly accompanies all its neighbours.

⇒ In our online nursery, we offer a wide selection of Pennisetum.

⇒ Learn all about the planting, growing, and maintenance of Pennisetum.

Hosta 'Fire Island'

Hosta ‘Fire Island’ is a variety with a unique colour. When they appear, the heart-shaped leaves display a bright, luminous yellow, almost translucent. They are borne on reddish stems, creating a stunning contrast. Later in the season, the colour of the foliage evolves to chartreuse green, forming a backdrop for delicate hues that highlight a purple summer flowering with tubular bell-shaped blooms. For optimal growth, provide it with humus-bearing, cool, and well-drained soil. While morning sun enhances its colours, protect it from the scorching afternoon exposure, which can scorch its foliage. This hardy perennial, awarded for its qualities, eventually forms a clump of 45 cm, with a slightly greater spread. Hardy down to at least -15°C, it should be protected from slugs.

⇒ Discover all our Hosta varieties!

⇒ How to plant, grow, and maintain Hostas?

Golden oregano

Oregano (or Marjoram) is a perennial herb valued for both its culinary and decorative qualities. Origanum vulgare ‘Aureum’ offers in addition a very bright foliage, with colours evolving from golden yellow in spring to chartreuse green in summer. This aromatic ground cover reaches about thirty centimetres in all directions, forming a mat of small semi-evergreen leaves, on which a pale pink flowering with violet reflections stands out in summer. Very robust, hardy to at least -15°C and fast-growing, this melliferous perennial prefers well-drained soils that are neutral to calcareous, even rather poor and stony. To preserve the colour of its foliage, avoid scorching situations. The golden oregano beautifully adorns walls, rockeries, and semi-shaded slopes, and can be placed in pots on a terrace.

(Photo Wikipedia)

⇒ We offer different varieties of oregano on our site, along with a very wide selection of aromatic plants!

Bowles's golden grass

Milium effusum ‘Aureum’ is a variety of millet with bright foliage. This grass develops into a clump with a loose habit, 40 cm in all directions. Its ribbon-like, fine leaves emerge golden yellow, then turn to lime green later in the season. In summer, its flowering spikes of blonde flowers stand out well above the foliage. Deciduous to semi-evergreen depending on the severity of winter, this millet requires soil that remains cool but not waterlogged during the colder months. If you can ensure constant moisture during the season, a sunny exposure is possible; otherwise, prefer shade or partial shade, where its foliage will be preserved. In woodland or under dappled light, it makes a significant impact and enlivens the darkest areas of the garden. Quite hardy, it is an easy-going plant that can self-seed without becoming invasive.

⇒ Fancy some grasses? Make your choice from our extensive range!

Golden-leaved Geum

Geum ‘Eos’ is an Avens with vibrant and bold colours! Its semi-evergreen and rough foliage is already a true bright spot, with a golden yellow evolving into chartreuse green. This perennial becomes even more noticeable when its simple, orange flowers emerge from the foliage between mid-spring and early summer. If this combination seems too eye-catching, you can always remove the inflorescences to enjoy just its beautiful foliage. The plant forms a compact clump of 30 to 40 cm in all directions, with a limited lifespan but is easy to divide. An ordinary, more or less humus-bearing, fresh but well-drained soil makes it happy. Although it can tolerate a bit of lime, a neutral to acidic substrate is preferred. The sun can damage its foliage, so it is better to place it in partial shade or light shade. Quite hardy, it works wonders in borders, as well as in rockeries or even grown in pots.

⇒ Discover all the colours offered by Benoîtes in our selection.

⇒ All the best practices for planting, growing, and maintaining Geum.

Agastache 'Golden Jubilee'

Agastache foeniculum ‘Golden Jubilee’ is a large and beautiful perennial. Its deciduous and dentate foliage, reminiscent of nettles, combines ornamental and aromatic qualities. Bright golden yellow, it is used as a condiment for its aniseed and menthol flavour. The flowering in upright mauve spikes lasts a long time, from July to September. It also has the advantage of being highly melliferous. Still relatively uncommon in gardens, this perennial makes a striking presence. Reaching 1.20 m in height with a spread of 30 cm, it is, however, not very hardy (-10°C). To keep it thriving, provide it with particularly well-drained soil, even dry in winter. It thrives in poor, well-draining soils and flourishes in full sun.

⇒ In our nursery, we offer a beautiful selection of agastaches.

⇒ Planting, growing, and maintaining agastache, all the tips in our dedicated file.

'Goldheart' Bleeding heart

The Dicentra spectabilis ‘Goldheart’ is a charming perennial for vibrant spring borders. Its deeply lobed foliage is particularly ornamental, and its golden hues make it a standout feature with a lovely presence. This delicacy is further enhanced by a flowering of small pink and white hearts that dangle along the purplish, arching stems from May to June. Deciduous, the plant typically enters dormancy in summer, only to re-emerge later. Of modest dimensions (60 cm X 40 cm), it is quite hardy and suited to all gardens that can provide it with deep, rich soil, cool at the start of the season but well-drained in winter. Ideally, place it in a semi-shaded position or under filtered light, similar to that found in woodland settings. You can also grow it in a deep pot to enjoy it on a terrace or balcony that isn’t too hot.

(Photo Wikipedia)

⇒ Different varieties of Dicentra are available in our online nursery.

⇒ Our tips for planting, growing, and caring for Bleeding Heart.

Golden Aralia

Aralia cordata ‘Sun King’ is an impressive perennial with stunning foliage. As it matures, the plant forms a bushy clump of 1 m in all directions. Each leaf is composed of rounded, slightly dentate leaflets, in beautiful golden yellow tones. The young spring shoots, with a lemony taste, can be consumed. Towards the end of summer, umbels of small cream flowers develop, soon followed by black berries. With decent hardiness, this aralia requires rich, neutral to acidic soil that remains cool but well-drained. To enhance the colour of its foliage without damaging it, place it in partial shade, ideally where it can receive a few hours of sunlight in the early or late day.

(Photo Wikipedia)

⇒ Discover all the species of Aralia from our nursery.

⇒ How to plant, grow, and care for Aralia?

Golden lemon balm

Melissa officinalis ‘Aurea’ is both beautiful and beneficial. This perennial ground cover with a bushy habit is taller than it is wide (80cm X 40cm), and it features aromatic foliage with a lemon scent. The leaves, crenate, unfold like golden leaves, then green joins the scene to create a lovely variegated effect, always very bright. The flowering, which occurs in summer, does not have great ornamental value, but the small tubular flowers, yellow then pink, are particularly melliferous. Although quite hardy, the semi-evergreen foliage may disappear under intense cold. Plant this balm at the edge of a border, to highlight a path, or even in the vegetable garden, where it also has its place. Provide it with fresh, deep, and rather acidic soil, in a well-sunny position.

⇒ Other varieties of Balm are available online.

⇒ Our tips for sowing, planting, and cultivating Balm.