Common Golden Alexander Zizia aurea
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- ZIZ-ee-ah AW-re-uh
- Description
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Golden Alexanders is a carefree plant found in small colonies on wet soils but is also tolerant of dry summer conditions. It thrives in full to partial sun, but also grows in light shade under trees.
Habitats include: 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.
This plant was selected as the 2012 NC Wildflower of the Year, a program managed by the North Carolina Botanical Garden with some financial support from the Garden Club of North Carolina. It is a larval host plant for the Black Swallowtail butterfly.
- See this plant in the following landscapes:
- Crowder Park Prairie and Native Plants Garden Beehive Garden, Wake Co
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Zizia
- Species:
- aurea
- Family:
- Apiaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern North America
- Distribution:
- Eastern Canada and USA
- Wildlife Value:
- This plant attracts butterflies and bees.
- Play Value:
- Attracts Pollinators
- Wildlife Food Source
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Wildflower
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Flowers give way to 3 – 4 millimeter long, oblong, green fruit capsules slowly turn light purple in the autumn. Displays from June to July.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Umbel
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Good Cut
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- The flower is less than .3 centimeters long. Each flower has 5 each of sepals, petals and stamens. Individual flowers are clustered into 8 cm long flat-topped flower heads, the middle flower of each compound umbel is stalkless. Flowers give way to 3 – 4 millimeter long, oblong, green fruit capsules slowly turn light purple in the autumn. Blooms from April to May.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Leaf Feel:
- Smooth
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves with finely serrated margins are lanceolate or ovate and up to 8 cm X 5 cm. Larger leaves usually have 1 or 2 sharp lobes. Lower leaves are twice or three times compound with long petioles, while the upper leaves are once compound with short petioles. The leaves slowly turn light purple in the autumn.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Meadow
- Naturalized Area
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Cottage Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Specialized Bees
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Dry Soil
