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Basket of Gold

Herbaceous Perennial Flower

Also known as Cloth of Gold, Goldentuft
Aurinia saxatilis
Brassicaceae Family
Synonym: Alyssum saxatile

In late spring to early summer, Basket of Gold carpets the ground with countless golden yellow blooms. A low-growing, creeping plant, this perennial is perfect for rock gardens and early summer borders.

	Site and Plant Characteristics
	Growing Information
	Varieties

Site Characteristics

Sunlight:

full sun

Soil conditions:

tolerates droughty soil
requires well-drained soil
tolerates low fertility

This plant prefers very well drained, dry soil of low fertility.

Hardiness zones:

4 to 8

Special locations:

rock gardens - best location for this plant
xeriscapes

Plant Traits

Lifecycle: perennial

Ease-of-care: moderately difficult

Height: 0.5 to 0.75 feet

Spread: 1 to 1.5 feet

Bloom time:

late spring
early summer

Flower color: yellow

Foliage color: gray-green

Foliage texture: medium

Shape:

low and trailing
spreading mass

Shape in flower: flower stalks with upright spikes

Tiny but showy blooms borne in dense clusters on short, erect stems.

Special Considerations

Special characteristics:

deer resistant
non-aggressive
non-invasive
not native to North America - Native to eastern and central Europe
evergreen

Growing Information

How to plant:

Propagate by seed, division or separation - Divide in the fall. Plants do not like to be disturbed, and required time for recuperation before resuming attractive growth.
Sow seeds in cold frames in spring or fall. Plants may self-seed if allowed.

Maintenance and care:

Provide good drainage, as plants will rot in moist soil. Performs best with low fertility. Rich soils cause legginess. Cut back by 1/2 after blooming to promote new growth. Remove faded leaves during growing season. Allow foliage, which is evergreen, to remain for the winter, tidy plants in the spring.
More growing information: How to Grow Perennials

Pests:

Aphids

Varieties

'Citrina': bright yellow blooms.
'Dudley Nevill': creamy, golden yellow blooms.
'Variegata': cream-margined leaves.