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Basket of Gold
Aurinia saxatilis
Basket of Gold blooms from April through May.
This entry comes from our curated library and has not yet been independently checked against outside sources. Curated is not unreliable: a standing audit keeps every entry internally consistent, and the source-by-source check is working through the whole library in the open.
Growing Basket of Gold
Plant it in full sun. It prefers low water. It is hardy in USDA zones 3–7. Expect it to reach about 8 in tall and 1.3 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 2 years.
When to plant Basket of Gold
Plant Basket of Gold in early spring as soon as the soil is workable, or in early fall at least six weeks before your first frost, so roots establish in cool weather. For the middle of its hardy zones 3 to 7 range, spring means April to June and fall means August or September. Once settled, it blooms from April to May.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar: for the middle of its range, start with zone 5 in April.
Good to know about Basket of Gold
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note.
Worth knowing
Drought-tolerant, but wet soil is what kills it: soggy, poorly drained ground rots the crown and roots, so sharp drainage matters far more than how often you water. per NC State
Full sun or afternoon shade?
In cool, northern gardens give it full sun for the densest bloom; in hot-summer regions some afternoon protection reduces heat stress. Match the exposure to your climate. per NC State and Iowa State
Shear back after bloom
Cut it back by about one-third to one-half right after flowering. The same shearing keeps the mound compact, stops the leggy bare center, and curbs heavy self-seeding. per Iowa State and Colorado State
An alpine, short-lived in heat
This alpine plant dislikes heat and humidity and is short-lived above zone 7. Many Deep South gardeners grow it as an annual, replanting each fall for spring. per Arkansas and NC State
Early nectar for bees
Its early spring bloom feeds bees when little else is flowering, making it a valuable early-season nectar and pollen source for pollinators and beneficial insects. per NC State
Deer and rabbit resistant
Rarely browsed by deer and reported rabbit-resistant too, placing it among perennials seldom damaged by wildlife, though very hungry animals may sample almost anything. per NC State and Colorado State
What pairs well with Basket of Gold
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Fountain Grass
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in late summer, extending the bed's season; taller at 3.3 ft, for the layer behind it; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Globe Thistle
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in midsummer, extending the bed's season; taller at 3.3 ft, for the layer behind it; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Feather Reed Grass
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in early summer as this one finishes; stands well above at 4.9 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
False Indigo
Shares full sun and low water; overlaps, then carries the display into early summer; taller at 3.3 ft, for the layer behind it; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Switchgrass
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in late summer, extending the bed's season; stands well above at 4.9 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Perennial Sunflower
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in late summer, extending the bed's season; stands well above at 4.9 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Lavender
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in early summer as this one finishes; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; taller at 2 ft, for the layer behind it.
Butterfly Bush
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in early summer as this one finishes; stands well above at 6.6 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; purple against yellow, for contrast.
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