Plants with Gold Leaf Foliage

Plants with gold leaf foliage can brighten any garden corner or bed. Just as plants with silver leaf foliage do too. However, silver is a cooler color. Silver is complementary to blues, greens, and magenta colors. Whereas, gold foliage plants and bright sunny yellow plants are warmer colors. They add warmth to the garden. 

If you are interested in mixing up your garden beds a little, include plants with gold leaf foliage. And to give you a few ideas, we’ve found some extraordinary gold colored plants. 

Take a look at our selection. And be sure to let us know if you like these suggestions. 

SUNNY GARDEN PLANTS WITH GOLD LEAF FOLIAGE

1. Sunshine Veronica Speedwell  

Veronica is also known as Speedwell. Sunshine Veronica Speedwell is a creeping carpet of golden yellow leaves. Grows in zones 4 to 8 in mostly Sunny to full Sun gardens. Reaches 1 to 2 inches tall. Flowers are pearl white clusters that appear in Spring. Tolerates normal, sandy, and clay soil conditions. Resistant to both deer and rabbits. Tolerant of hot dry site, seaside salt, and foot traffic conditions. Plant around garden stones or in a rock garden. 

2. Aztec Gold Veronica 

Veronica is also known as Creeping Speedwell and Speedwell. Aztec Gold Veronica is an all season ground cover with brilliantly gold leaves in full Sun. The foliage is chartreuse in color under part Sun and part shade garden conditions. Grows in zones 4 to 8 in mostly Sunny to full Sun gardens. Reaches 4 to 6 inches tall. Blue blooms arrive in early Summer and continue until mid Summer. Attracts butterflies. Resistant to both deer and rabbits. Tolerant of hot dry site conditions.  

 3. Gold Bar Miscanthus 

Miscanthus is also called Maiden Grass and Eulalia. Gold Bar Miscanthus is a variegation of gold and green bars across the blade. Grows in zones 5 to 8 in full Sun. Reaches 4 feet tall. Burgundy red plumes appear early to late Fall. Resistant to deer. Tolerates normal, sandy, and clay soil conditions. Tolerant of humidity and hot dry site conditions. 

4. SunFlare Japanese Forest Grass 

An ornamental dwarf grass with short yellow-green grass blades tipped in burgundy. SunFlare Japanese Forest Grass grows in a mounding habit. Grows in zones 3 to 9 in part shade and part Sun to full Sun. Reaches 12 to 18 inches tall with a spread of 18 to 20 inches. The bicolor palette does much to brighten any garden area. 

5. Color Guard Yucca 

Outstanding bicolor green and canary yellow foliage. Color Guard Yucca grows in zones 4 to 10 in part Sun and part shade to full Sun. Reaches 4 to 6 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide. White bell shaped blooms appear mid to late Summer. Attracts pollinators and is resistant to deer. Tolerant of hot, dry, humidity, and drought conditions once Color Guard has been established. 

6. Illumination Vinca  

A trailing ground cover with all-season appeal and sky blue periwinkle flowers. Illumination Vinca has broad bands of golden yellow leaves edged with deep green. Grows in zones 5 to 8 in part shade and part Sun to full Sun. Reaches 3 to 6 inches tall with a spread of 14 to 18 inches. Blooms illuminate shady gardens over the months of Spring, Summer, and Fall. 

 

PLANTS WITH GOLD LEAF FOLIAGE FOR PART SHADE AND PART SUNNY GARDENS

 7. Remember Me Hosta 

Leaves emerge in bright yellow with smoky green edge. In the Summer, Remember Me Hosta leaves transform to snow white with blue-green color. Grows in zones 3 to 8 in mostly shady to mostly Sunny gardens. And reaches about 15 inches tall. Lavender blooms appear from mid to late Summer. Attracts hummingbirds. Tolerant of shade, humidity, and dry shade garden conditions. Ideal for a garden dedicated to remembrance. 

 8. Happy Dayz Hosta 

Hostas are also known as Funkia and Plantain Lily. Foliage has wide blue-green margins that turn dark green in Summer with yellow centers. Happy Dayz Hosta attracts hummingbirds. Grows in zones 3 to 9 in mostly shady to mostly Sunny gardens. Reaches 18 inches tall. Light lavender blooms emerge from mid to late Summer. Tolerant of shade, humidity, and dry shade conditions. 

9. Autumn Frost Hosta 

Hostas are also known as Funkia and Plantain Lily. Leaves with extra-wide yellow margins surround the frosty blue centers on this Hosta. Autumn Frost Hosta attracts hummingbirds to its pastel lavender flowers. Grows in zones 3 to 9 in mostly shady to mostly Sunny gardens. Reaches 12 inches tall. Lavender blooms appear from mid to late Summer. Attracts hummingbirds. Tolerant of shade, humidity, and dry shade conditions. 

10. Hakonechloa macra All Gold 

Hakonechloa is also known as Hakone Grass and Japanese Forest Grass. Glowing golden-yellow foliage that stands out in the garden. Hakonechloa macra All Gold is an upright perennial with gentle cascading growth. Grows in zones 5 to 9 in full shade to mostly sunny garden areas. Reaches 12 inches high. And is a deer resistant grass. 

11. Aureum Lamium 

Lamium is also known as Spotted Dead Nettle. Leaves of citrus yellow colors with a centered white slash on each leaf. Aureum Lamium grows in zones 3 to 9 in full shade to mostly Sunny. Reaches 6 to 8 inches tall. Rose purple flowers begin blooming in late Spring until early Summer. Tolerates normal, sandy, and clay soil conditions. Resistant to both deer and rabbits. Tolerant of shade and dry shade garden conditions. Plant on a slope or bank. 

12.  Lipstick Blonde Hosta 

Bright lance-shaped yellow leaves with sunny hues appear on deep red stems that are a stunning contrast of colors. Lipstick Blonde Hosta has bell shaped lavender blooms over the midSummer season. Grows in zones 3 to 9 in full shade to part shade and part Sun. Reaches 12 to 15 inches tall with a spread of 16 to 18 inches. To maintain the bright sunny hue, plant Lipstick Blonde in a garden area with six hours of Sun. 

SHADE GARDEN PLANTS WITH GOLD LEAF FOLIAGE

13. Banana Boat Carex 

Carex is also known as sedge. A hosta plant with banana yellow blades with narrow green margins and stripes. The Banana Boat Carex can be grown along streams, ponds, or moist, shady areas. Grows in zones 5 to 9 in full shade to part shade and part Sun. Reaches 6 to 12 inches tall. Resistant to deer. Tolerant of shade and wet site conditions. Plant on a slope or bank. 

14. Evergold Carex 

Bicolor leaves with distinctive colors of deep green, lime green, and yellow are standouts in this Carex plant. Evergold Carex grows in zones 5 to 9 in full shade to part shade and part Sun. Reaches 12 to 18 inches tall and wide. Resistant to deer, a cold hardy perennial to plant as ground covers or in garden beds. 

15. Curly Fries Hosta 

Narrow chartreuse leaves that cascade downward from the center. Curly Fries Hosta has rippled leaves that are wavy. Grows in zones 3 to 9 in full shade to part shade and part Sun. Reaches 6 to 16 inches tall with a spread of 12 to 18 inches. Lavender flower spikes appear in midSummer. Best in gardens with morning Sun. 

16. White Gold Bleeding Heart 

Bleeding Heart is known by many common names. Such as Dutchman’s Breeches White Gold. Chinaman’s Breeches White Gold. Locks and Keys White Gold. Lyre Flower White Gold. Seal Flower White Gold. And Lamprocapnos spectabilis White Gold. White Gold Bleeding Heart has vibrant golden yellow to green leaves. Grows in zones 3 to 9 in full shade to part shade and Sun. Reaches 24 to 30 inches tall with a spread of 26 to 36 inches wide. Blooms mid to late Spring. Blooms are white pristine, heart-shaped pendant flowers. This plant possesses all the benefits of an old-fashioned bleeding heart. Few diseases or pests and great soil tolerance.  

17. Lemon Love Heuchera  

Heavily ruffled foliage of bright yellow leaves. Lemon Love Heuchera has small white flowers. Grows in zones 4a to 8b in light shade and part Sun. Reaches 13 inches tall by 50 inches wide. Another coral bells winner from the Walters Gardens breeding program. 

 

This concludes our list of plants with gold leaf foliage. Great for any garden and especially stunning when paired with greenery plants. Gold leaf plants make a dramatic contrast against green leaf plants. Be sure to check with your local garden center for additional Gold leaf plant selections.   

Interested in gardening? If you found this helpful . . .

You May Also Enjoy some of our other gardening related posts.   

Plants with Silver Foliage 
How to Grow Hardy Hellebores
Plants that Thrive in Acidic Soils
16 Best Flowering Ground Covers Perennials for Shade

And if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us. We are always ready to help you out. Thank you so much for dropping by. 

Mary