Plant Profile

Golden Alexanders - (Zizia aurea) is a member of the Apiaceae (Carrot) family with yellow umbel flowers. Often times you will find them near moist black soil prairies, openings in moist to mesic woodlands, savannas, thickets, limestone glades and bluffs, power line clearings in woodland areas, and abandoned fields.

Golden Alexander is one of those natives that every garden should have. It is fairly easy to grow and, although short-lived, will self-seed and persist in many sun/soil situations. Golden Alexanders have a long bloom time, giving the garden/prairie some well-deserved early color for several weeks in late spring to early summer when many other plants have not yet flowered.  Also called Golden Zizia, Golden Alexanders will tolerate a lot of shade but prefer full sun or light shade.

This important perennial native plant should not be confused with the similar-looking Pastinaca sativa (Wild Parsnip), a highly invasive Eurasian biennial commonly found on roadsides and other disturbed sites.  Wild Parsnip is taller than the Zizias, blooms later, and can cause painful skin burns.