Growing Basket-of-Gold: A Complete Profile
By Growing Home Greens Team · August 19, 2026
Basket-of-gold is sold on seed racks as Alyssum, Carpet of Gold, which is where the confusion starts.
Same common name, different plant
Our sweet alyssum is Lobularia maritima: a low white or pastel annual that flowers all season. Basket-of-gold is Aurinia saxatilis: a yellow perennial that flowers for four to six weeks in spring and then stops. Different genus, different life cycle, different job in the bed. Both were once classed in the genus Alyssum, which is why the seed trade still uses the name for both.
Four to six weeks of flower, then a long quiet spell
NC State Extension puts the bloom at April to May, lasting roughly four to six weeks. That is the whole show. For the remaining ten months it is a low grey-green mat six to twelve inches tall and a foot and a half across.
This is not a criticism, it is a planning fact. Pair it with something that takes over the visual work in summer, or place it where an early burst is what you want, such as beside spring bulbs that die back at the same time.
Shear it after flowering
Left alone, the plant splits open through the centre and flops outward as it ages. Cutting it back by about a third once flowering finishes keeps it tight. This is the same maintenance rhythm as rock soapwort, and for the same reason.
Cold-hardy, heat-limited
It runs zones 3 through 7, which is a narrower top end than most of the flower list here. Zone 8 and warmer summers tend to be what kills it rather than winter. Full sun, sharp drainage, and no rich soil.
Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, Aurinia saxatilis.
Companion planting guide for Basket-of-Gold · Find your planting dates
Typically viable in USDA zones 3-7. Not sure your zone? Look it up by ZIP code.
Mature height: 0.5-1 ft
Method: Direct sow: Direct-sow outside. It doesn't transplant well, or doesn't need the extra time indoors.
When to plant basket-of-gold, by zone
Every zone basket-of-gold grows in. Pick your zone in the header and it will be highlighted here. Each zone links to its full page.
| Zone | Start indoors | Sow or plant out | Bloom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3a & 3b | Not usually | May 16–May 23 | First real harvest the season after planting |
| 4a & 4b | Not usually | May 1–May 8 | First real harvest the season after planting |
| 5a & 5b | Not usually | Apr 26–May 3 | First real harvest the season after planting |
| 6a & 6b | Not usually | Apr 11–Apr 18 | First real harvest the season after planting |
| 7a & 7b | Not usually | Mar 27–Apr 3 | First real harvest the season after planting |
See exact start-indoors, direct-sow, and harvest dates for your zone →
How many Basket-of-Gold plants fit per square foot?
Spacing: 1 per square foot (square-foot-gardening spacing). Mature height: 0.5-1 ft.
Where to buy basket-of-gold seeds
None of the seed suppliers we list carries basket-of-gold seeds right now. A local garden center or a specialty seed house is the place to look.
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See it growing
Search YouTube for "growing basket-of-gold" videos → (a live search, not a hand-picked video; results vary and aren't vetted by us)
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Growing Basket-of-Gold: A spring perennial sold as Alyssum Carpet of Gold, and not the same genus as sweet alyssum.
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