Trollius 'Golden Queen'

Trollius 'Golden Queen': Gold Glow for the Soggy Corner

'Golden Queen' wears an actual crown. Golden-yellow bowls with a spiky orange tiara in the middle, held high on long stems for the whole court to admire. CURTSY, PLEASE.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Trollius chinensis 'Golden Queen'
• Common Name: Chinese Globeflower
• Height: 75–90 cm (30–36 in)
• Spread: 45–60 cm (18–24 in)
• Flowers: Open, bowl-shaped, about 5 cm (2 in) across, with golden yellow outer petals and an upright crown of narrow orange petals in the centre, on long stems
• Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer (June to July)
• Foliage: Deep green, deeply lobed, in a low mound
• Features: Rabbit resistant, good cut flower, tolerates wet and clay soil, holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit

Where to Plant: This is a plant for the damp spots: beside a pond or stream, in a rain garden, or in a low corner of the yard where the soil stays wet. It also works in a regular border as long as the soil never dries out, and heavy clay that holds water is not a problem.

Companion Plants: Give 'Golden Queen' a moist bed in sun or part shade with pink hellebores, bright heuchera and speckled hibiscus. Helleborus HGC® Ice N' Roses® Rosetta opens soft pink flowers at 45 to 60 cm from March to May. Heuchera FYRE WING™ 'Jadeite' adds bright foliage at 15 to 25 cm. Hibiscus 'Starry Starry Night' brings speckled pale pink blooms over dark leaves at 105 to 120 cm from July to September. Molinia 'Skyracer' sends airy stems to 180 to 240 cm.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun to part shade, in rich, moist to wet soil. In hot, dry spots, give it afternoon shade and water deeply. Globeflowers dislike drought more than anything. Cut the flower stems back after blooming. If the leaves look tired by midsummer, shear them and fresh growth will follow. Clean up the foliage in late fall or early spring. Divide in early spring or fall every few years, when the clump gets crowded.

History: Trollius chinensis is a buttercup-family plant from northern China and neighbouring parts of northeast Asia, where it grows in moist meadows and along streams. 'Golden Queen' is the best-known selection of the species and has earned the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Final Thoughts: Wet soil, clay, deer and rabbits do not concern Her Majesty. Cut a few for the throne room. LONG LIVE THE QUEEN.