How to Prune a Basket of Gold Alyssum

Basket of Gold, Aurinia saxatilis, is so named because when the plant is in full bloom, it becomes a dense mound of iridescent yellow flowers. The golden blooms appear in spring for about eight weeks, then the grayish foliage provides a soft-textured background in the garden for later-blooming plants. Basket of Gold matures at 8 to 12 inches in height and spreads to about 2 feet wide. Although deer will eat it during severe hunger periods, it is generally considered to be deer-resistant. A naturally drought-tolerant alpine perennial, Basket of Gold also tolerates heat and neglect.

Sharp pruners

Instructions

- 1
  Trim away dead and damaged Basket of Gold branches in early spring during your normal spring garden cleanup. Remove damaged branches anytime during the growing season and add the prunings to the compost pile.
- 2
  Remove the spent flower stalks during the blooming period to keep the plants attractive. The flowers are held on stems that rise above the foliage. Small seed pods may have already begun to form on the flower stalks -- if you want the plants to naturalize, you can allow some seeds to mature. Snip off flower stems after the blooming period ends, by June in most areas of the United States.
- 3
  Prune the growing tips of Basket of Gold branches to make the plant more compact. Tip-prune regularly during the summer, after the flowering period. Although it is a rambling ground cover, tip-pruning increases the plant’s density.
- 4
  Train cascading branches of Basket of Gold so they trail away from busy pathways by simply moving the branches to the side and away from damaging footsteps. Some gardeners take advantage of the trailing characteristic and plant Basket of Gold where it can meander naturally with little pruning.

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