Golden Alexanders
Zizia aurea
Early yellow umbels and a host for black swallowtails.
Hardiness: zones 3 to 8
Light: part shade
Size: about 2 ft tall, 1.5 ft wide
From: E. North America
Here: Hardy in the Lake Erie shore climate (zone 6b to 7a), so it can live outdoors in the ground.
Good for: pollinators, butterfly and moth caterpillars.
Native to: Northeast, Midwest & Great Lakes, Southeast, Great Plains & Texas, Eastern Canada. Hardy in zones 3 to 8.
The story
Golden Alexanders is a native member of the carrot family that blooms in May, in the gap between the spring bulbs and the summer flowers. Black swallowtail butterflies lay their eggs on it as they do on parsley and dill.
Planting
Sun or part shade and average to moist soil. It tolerates clay.
Growing
Let it seed around to keep the patch going; individual plants live a few years.
Harvest and use
Flat yellow flower heads are just right for short-tongued bees, small wasps and flies that prey on garden pests.
What to watch for
Do not confuse it with wild parsnip, a taller roadside plant whose sap burns skin.
See if Golden Alexanders fits your yard
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More native and wild plants
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home