Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

Is Cloth of Gold Saxifrage (Saxifraga 'Cloth of Gold')cold hardy? Hardiness zone & min temp

Also called Cloth of Gold Saxifrage, Golden Mossy Saxifrage.

More about cloth of gold saxifrage

About Cloth of Gold Saxifrage

Saxifraga 'Cloth of Gold' · also called Cloth of Gold Saxifrage, Golden Mossy Saxifrage · flowering

Cloth of Gold Saxifrage is a compact mossy saxifrage cultivar prized for its brilliant golden-yellow foliage that brightens shady rock gardens and alpine troughs year-round. Small white spring flowers appear above the cushion of finely divided, moss-like leaves. It needs protection from direct sun to prevent leaf scorch.

Cold limit: USDA 5–8 · RHS H6 (-10–20°C)

Watch for — Crown and root rot: Excessive moisture, especially in winter, leads to rotting of the central crown. Plant in raised troughs or beds with sharp drainage; avoid mulching directly over the crown.

What cloth of gold saxifrage's hardiness rating actually means

Yes — cloth of gold saxifrage is genuinely cold hardy. Rated RHS H6 and USDA 5–8, it lives outdoors all year and needs winter cold rather than protection from it. Its RHS rating of H6 means: Hardy throughout the UK and northern Europe. On the US scale that maps to USDA 5–8 — the zones where it can be left outdoors year-round.

New to these scales? The USDA hardiness zone map explained covers how the zone numbers work, and you can find your own zone with the zone finder.

Minimum temperature — and what happens below it

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly about −20 to −15 °C. Cloth of Gold Saxifrage is built for winter — once established it takes hard frost and snow in its stride.

Concretely, for cloth of gold saxifrage as it gets too cold:

It tolerates winter lows to about −20 to −15 °C once established.
Below its rated zone, the visible damage is browned or blackened top growth and, in the worst case, a killed crown or root.
First-year, newly planted, or container-grown specimens are noticeably less hardy than established garden plants — the roots are exposed.

Can cloth of gold saxifrage go outside or overwinter — and where?

Plant it out within USDA 5–8 and it overwinters with little or no help.
It does not want to come indoors — a warm winter room actually weakens a hardy plant by denying it dormancy.
The real risks in its range are waterlogging, wind-rock on young plants, and a late hard frost on new growth — not ordinary winter cold.

Work back from your local frost dates with the frost-date calculator: the last spring frost and first autumn frost are what really decide when cloth of gold saxifrage can be outside. US growers can check USDA zones; UK growers should use the RHS hardiness ratings, which match the H6 figure above.

Cloth of Gold Saxifrage hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is cloth of gold saxifrage cold hardy?

Yes — cloth of gold saxifrage is genuinely cold hardy. Rated RHS H6 and USDA 5–8, it lives outdoors all year and needs winter cold rather than protection from it. An outdoor plant. Cloth of Gold Saxifrage is hardy across USDA 5–8; it belongs in the ground or a frost-proof container, not on a windowsill, and many types actively need a cold winter to perform.

What is the minimum temperature cloth of gold saxifrage can survive?

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly about −20 to −15 °C. Cloth of Gold Saxifrage is built for winter — once established it takes hard frost and snow in its stride.

What hardiness zone is cloth of gold saxifrage?

Cloth of Gold Saxifrage is rated USDA 5–8 and RHS H6 — Hardy throughout the UK and northern Europe.

Can cloth of gold saxifrage survive winter outside?

Plant it out within USDA 5–8 and it overwinters with little or no help. It does not want to come indoors — a warm winter room actually weakens a hardy plant by denying it dormancy. The real risks in its range are waterlogging, wind-rock on young plants, and a late hard frost on new growth — not ordinary winter cold.

What happens to cloth of gold saxifrage below its minimum temperature?

It tolerates winter lows to about −20 to −15 °C once established. Below its rated zone, the visible damage is browned or blackened top growth and, in the worst case, a killed crown or root. First-year, newly planted, or container-grown specimens are noticeably less hardy than established garden plants — the roots are exposed.