Basket of Gold

Name: Basket of Gold
Brand: Nature Hills Nursery
Availability: OutOfStock

Aurinia saxatilis 'Summit'

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Understanding Plant Options

Nature Hills offers plants in two main formats:

Container Plants: Grown in pots with soil, sized by container volume and plant age
Bare Root Plants: Dormant plants without soil, sized by height measurements

Container Plant Sizes

Container sizes indicate plant age and growing capacity rather than liquid volume equivalents. Our containers follow industry-standard nursery "trade gallon" specifications, which differ from standard liquid gallon measurements.

Young Plants (6 months to 18 months old)

Container Size	Actual Volume	Metric Equivalent
2" x 2" x 3"	0.18 - 0.21 dry quarts	0.20 - 0.23 dry liters
4" Container	0.31 - 0.87 dry quarts	0.35 - 0.96 dry liters
4.5" Container	0.65 dry quarts	0.72 dry liters
6" Container	1.4 dry quarts	1.59 dry liters
1 Quart	1 dry quart	1.1 dry liters
5.5" Container	1.89 dry quarts	2.08 dry liters

Established Plants (18 months to 2.5 years old)

Container Size	Actual Volume	Metric Equivalent
2 Quart	2 dry quarts	2.2 dry liters
#1 Container	2.26 - 3.73 dry quarts	2.49 - 4.11 dry liters
5" x 5" x 12"	3.5 - 4.3 dry quarts	3.85 - 4.74 dry liters

Mature Plants (2-4 years old)

Container Size	Actual Volume	Metric Equivalent
#2 Container	1.19 - 1.76 dry gallons	5.24 - 7.75 dry liters
#3 Container	2.15 - 2.76 dry gallons	8.14 - 12.16 dry liters

Large Plants (3-5 years old)

Container Size	Actual Volume	Metric Equivalent
#5 Container	2.92 - 4.62 dry gallons	12.86 - 20.35 dry liters
#6 Container	5.25 - 6.01 dry gallons	23.12 - 26.42 dry liters
#7 Container	5.98 - 6.53 dry gallons	26.34 - 28.76 dry liters

Bare Root Plants

Bare root plants are sold by height from the root system to the top of the plant. Plants may exceed minimum height requirements.

Common Sizes:

Trees: 1 foot, 2 feet, 3 feet, 4 feet, 5 feet, 6 feet
Shrubs & Perennials: 1 foot, 18 inches, 2 feet

Important Notes

Container Volume Specifications

Trade Gallon Standard: Our containers follow industry-standard "trade gallon" specifications established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI Z60.1) for nursery stock
Volume Variations: Actual soil volume may vary due to plant root systems and growing medium settlement
Age Indicators: Container size primarily indicates plant age and maturity rather than liquid volume equivalents

Growing Conditions

Plant size can vary based on variety and growing conditions
Container size helps indicate plant maturity and establishment level
Larger containers generally mean more established root systems and faster landscape establishment

Seasonal Availability

Bare root plants are available seasonally when dormant
Container plants are available throughout the growing season
Specific varieties may have limited availability in certain sizes

Questions?

For questions about specific plant sizes or availability, please contact our plant experts who can help you choose the right size for your landscape needs.

Plant Profile & Growing Essentials

Cold hardy, Low Maintenance, Groundcover, Flowering, Slopes/Erosion Control, Deer-resistant, Heat Tolerant, Drought resistant, Attracts pollinators, Salt Tolerant, and Container Friendly

Specifications

Botanical Name

Aurinia saxatilis 'Summit'
Height

1 ft
Width

1 ft
Growing Zones

3-7
Sunlight
- Full sun
Growth Rate

Moderate
Flower Color
- Yellow
Leaf Color
- Green
Fall Color

Gray-Green
Pollinator Friendly

Yes
Pollinator Required

No
Bloom Period

Late Spring

Planting & Care

Where to Plant

Sunlight: This plant craves full sun for at least 6 to 8 hours daily. While it can handle a bit of afternoon shade in very hot climates, you will lose that signature "carpet of gold" density and the stems may become leggy.
Soil: Think of high alpine environments. It needs gritty, fast draining soil. If you have heavy clay, mix in plenty of pea gravel or coarse sand to prevent root rot, as this plant hates having "wet feet" during the winter.

Watering Requirements

During the first growing season, water once or twice a week to help the roots dive deep into the soil. Once established, Basket of Gold is remarkably drought tolerant and only needs supplemental water during prolonged dry spells. If you overwater or leave it in soggy soil, the crown will likely rot and the foliage will turn a mushy gray.

Pruning Tips

These perennials bloom on old wood, so you should wait until the flowers fade in late spring to pick up the shears. Cut the entire plant back by about one third to one half immediately after blooming. This "haircut" prevents the plant from becoming woody and sprawling, while also encouraging a fresh flush of clean, silvery-green foliage for the rest of the summer.

Fertilizer Needs

Use a balanced, slow release fertilizer early in the spring just as new growth appears. Avoid high nitrogen fertilizers late in the summer because they force soft, tender growth that cannot handle the winter freeze. A light touch is best here, as too much food leads to lots of leaves but very few of the bright yellow flowers you want.

The Basket of Gold (Aurinia saxatilis 'Summit') or Perennial Alyssum, is one of the most popular spring-flowering perennials, most often seen in rock gardens or as a border edging! Hardy in USDA growing zones 3 through 7, this ground cover is very cold and hardy and the foliage can remain grey-green in warmer climates, but in colder zones, it is a perennial.

It forms a low, bushy mound of grey-green leaves, smothered by masses of tiny, bright golden-yellow flowers for several weeks. After bloom, the silver-green foliage makes a wonderful groundcover all season long and into the winter!

The Basket of Gold will provide a brilliant shot of color in the spring that will attract butterflies, and beautiful, silver-green foliage the rest of the year that is anything but boring. Only growing to about 7-9 inches tall at maturity, Basket of Gold can spread to a sizeable 15-20 inches in width.

Planting and Application:

Ideal low-growing groundcover and mat-forming flowering plants are perfect for edging garden beds and framing garden paths with brilliant golden blooms and silvery foliage. Let ramble over planter sides, rock gardens and cascading over container edges.

The easy carefree nature and low maintenance needs of Alyssum make them fantastic anywhere in the sunny garden, but look best in cottage gardens, perennial borders and pollinator beds as vivid groundcover when in bloom, and cool, fine-textured foliage the rest of the year.

Masses of Yellow Blooms
Colorful Grey-Green Foliage
Evergreen All Year
Hardy Groundcover
Edging, Borders, Rock Gardens & Spillers

#ProPlantTips for Care:

The Basket of Gold is a drought-tolerant, evergreen groundcover that prefers full sun. It is a compact plant that has excellent disease resistance! Immediately after blooming, prune plants back by half to retain the dense form and ensure abundant blooms each season! Provide a moderately moist well-drained soil location for these plants to do their best.

Full Sun
Moderate Moisture
Well-Drained Fertile Soil
Prune After Flowering
Cold Hardy, Drought Tolerant & Disease Resistant

Basket of Gold Perennial Alyssum is the brilliant evergreen groundcover that your garden has been craving! Order these low-growing vivid perennials today from NatureHills.com!

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Basket of Gold

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