Basket of gold
Aurinia saxatilis
Basket of gold (Aurinia saxatilis) is a groundcover suited to the Colorado Front Range. It matures to about 6–12 in tall and 12–18 in wide, needs low to medium water, and prefers full sun. Cascading sheets of golden yellow in spring. Classic rock garden + wall-top plant.
low to medium water6–12 in tall and 12–18 in wideXeric / water-wiseDeer-resistant
Photos



At a glance
- Botanical name
- Aurinia saxatilis
- Variety / cultivar
- 'Compactum', 'Citrina'
- Type
- Groundcover
- Mature size
- 6–12 in tall and 12–18 in wide
- Water needs
- low to medium water
- Sun
- full sun
- Colorado native
- No
- Foliage
- Semi-evergreen
- Soil
- sandy, loam
- Soil pH
- 6.0–8.0
- Hail tolerance
- moderate
- Wind tolerance
- moderate
- Salt tolerance
- moderate
- Bloom color
- yellow
- Bloom time
- mid spring, late spring
- Pollinator value
- moderate
- Good for
- slope
Planting & establishment
Water deeply 1×/week first summer to establish. After establishment, water 1–2×/month during dry stretches.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Basket of gold good for the Colorado Front Range?
- Yes. Basket of gold is included in the Front Range Plant Finder as a groundcover suited to Colorado's Front Range.
- How big does Basket of gold get?
- It matures to about 6–12 in tall and 12–18 in wide.
- How much water does Basket of gold need?
- It needs low to medium water once established.
- Is Basket of gold native to Colorado?
- No — it is not a Colorado native, but it grows well on the Front Range.