Golden Alexanders
Zizia aurea
Apiaceae


Landscape Uses:

Wildflower gardens.

Ecological Restoration Notes:

Availability:
Grown by enthusiasts.
Description:
Deciduous colony-forming wildflower 1-2 feet tall with toothed leaves 1-2 inches long. Tiny, yellow flowers in a flat-topped cluster.
Height:
Typically 1-2 feet in height.
Growth Rate:
Fast.
Range:
Eastern half of the United States from Maine to North Dakota south to Texas and Walton to Levy counties.
Habitats:
Hammocks and bluff forests.
Soils:
Moist to seasonally wet, well-drained sandy or limestone soils, with humusy top layer.
Nutritional Requirements:
Moderate; can grow in nutrient poor soils, but needs some organic content to thrive.
Salt Water Tolerance:
Low; does not tolerate long-term flooding by salt or brackish water.
Salt Wind Tolerance:
Low; salt wind may burn the leaves.
Drought Tolerance:
Moderate to low; requires moist to wet soils, but tolerant of short periods of drought once established.
Light Requirements:
Light shade.
Flower Color:
Yellow.
Flower Characteristics:
Showy.
Flowering Season:
Spring.
Fruit:
Nutlets.
Wildlife and Ecology:
Larval food for black swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes asterius) butterflies.
Horticultural Notes:
Comments:
We have been adding data for this species for central and northern Florida and welcome any feedback or review. If you would like to contribute information or images, please contact George Gann via the IRC staff page.