Zizia aurea (Golden Alexanders)

Zizia aurea, commonly called golden Alexander or golden zizia, is a short-lived, upright perennial wildflower that blooms over a short window of only a few weeks in the late spring. Typically found in floodplain areas or mixed forests with fertile soils, Zizia aurea grows to 1-3' tall with a narrow spread. Noted for its blooms, golden Alexander produces large umbels of small,golden-yellow flowers which bloom from around mid-May to the beginning of June. Flowers are attractive to a number of bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, and through the hotter summer months, the flowers turn to dark purple seed heads, attracting birds and allowing for self-seeding reproduction.

With its large yellow flower heads and interestingly textured foliage, Zizia aurea is showy, but is best utilized alongside other seasonal wildflower choices in pollinator gardens since golden Alexander has such a short bloom window. Golden Alexander is partial to medium to wet soils and full or part sun conditions in a wide range of soils types, and is resistant to deer and rabbit browsing, making Zizia aurea a great addition to any home garden. In addition to its attractive looks and ecological value, Zizia aurea is also listed as an S3 or State Watch-List plant in Maryland, meaning that by planting golden Alexander in your landscape, you're helping to support populations of a threatened species too!