Basket of gold
| Basket of gold |
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| Scientific Classification |
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| Binomial Name |
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Aurinia saxatilis |
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| A close-up of a bundle of its small yellow flows |
The Basket of gold is a species of flowering plant known by the scientific name Aurinia saxatilis which means "grows among rocks" [2] in french [3]. It is a plant commonly used as a decorative garden plant [4]. It is also known in the English language as: gold-dust, golden-tuft alyssum, golden-tuft madwort, rock madwort, but since it is originally form Europe, and the strict western Asia, it is known buy the French as the corbeille d'or [5].
Anatomy
The basket of gold is a small, herbaceous, shrub that is usually anywhere from 6 inches to 1 foot (15.24 cm – 30.48cm) tall [6] and 1 foot to about 24 inches (30.84cm – 60cm). It has relatively small flowers [7] that are yellow, gold, or apricot [8]. They have evergreen, grey felted leaves, that as seedlings quickly form a small rosette. The seeds, on the other hand, are yellow discs that in general come in twos in the seedpods. The seedpods and flower stems grow longer as the plant gets older, and the seedpods, which come from the flowers, turn to a light brown, paper like disks, with a two sided pod that is divided by a thin paper like membrane[9].
Reproduction
The basket of gold is a perennial plant [10], flowering three of the four seasons [11], so it is considered to flower all year [12]. However it is at it blooms best in the spring (April to May) [13]. The basket of gold self-seeds in the general area of which it lays [14]. There are many ways for the basket of gold to be circulate like sowing seeds outside in the fall or cutting the semi-hardwood stem, but while it is winter they need to be in vented containers, unheated greenhouse, or indoors before the last frost.[15]
Ecology
The basket of gold requires a rocky ground kind of place that will usually have rock, clay, or sand amongst the dirt, but it can grow in normal soil too [16]. Even though it can have sand, clay, and rock among the dirt it needs to be balanced. it needs to avoid heavy amounts of clay [17]. For this plant to grow well it needs the soil to be somewhere on the PH scale as: 5.6 (acidic) to 7.5 (neutral) [18]. The dirt needs to be well drained [19], kind of dry dirt since it requires very little water to flourish. If it is not well drained soil the basket of gold may rot [20]. It needs to be in a full sun environment for it to flourish, but it can grow in middle shade [21].
When In Care
The basket of gold is a drought-tolerant plant. So it does not need very much water to stay healthy. When in bloom the plant is covered in bundles of little yellow flowers, and is attractive to bees butterflies, and other pollen spreading animals. [22] For the best results to collect the seeds one must allow the seedheads to dry on the plant then they are can remove and collect the seeds from the seedsheads, and then if they are cleaned properly the seeds can be stored successfully. It is also not known to be dangerous in any way [23]. Aphids can be a problem on the plant. It is most used in rock gardens, flower beds, and hillsides and is generally grown over rocks or on rock walls, anywhere. It is a good ground cover in warmer sunny areas, but not too hot or it will dry out [24], which it can still do even though it is fairly drought tolerant.
References
- Aurinia saxatilis (L.) Desv.: Basket of gold 5-16-11
- USDA 5-16-11
- Paghat 5-16-11
- Paghat Alice B. Russell. NC State University. 5-16-11
- GardeningHelp 5-16-11
- The Seed Site 5-16-11
