Aurinia saxatilis is an ornamental plant native to Asia and Europe. Common names include yellow alyssum, madwort, goldentuft and gold-dust. It is a good ground cover in summer areas where it does not burn out from high heat and humidity.
Aurinia saxatilis commonly called basket-of-gold is a low-growing, spreading perennial that produces a profuse spring bloom of bright yellow flowers that are particularly attractive in rock gardens, sprawled over rocks or cascaded over rock walls. After bloom, it will remain in the garden as an attractive ground cover unless the foliage depreciates or plants die back from hot summer conditions. It is native from central Europe to Turkey. This is a mat-forming perennial with woody roots that grows to 6-12” tall and features spatulate basal leaves (to 5” long) and smaller linear-oblanceolate stem leaves. Leaves are gray-green. Bright yellow flowers in corymbose panicles bloom in spring. Genus name comes from the word aureus meaning golden in allusion to the flowers of A. saxatilis. Specific epithet means found among rocks.
