What is it? Golden Alexander, also known as Zizia aurea, is a yellow-flowering herbaceous plant of the carrot family.
Native to where? It is native to the United States and Canada.
Hardiness Zone: Plants are hardy from USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 8.
What does it look like? It grows to 16 to 30 inches tall. It blooms in golden yellow umbels with non-fragrant flowers lasting about a month.
Bloom time: It blooms in May and June.
Growth Habit: It is a short-lived herbaceous perennial forb of the carrot family that readily reseeds, forming non-aggressive clumps.
Growing conditions: Plants should be placed 1 foot apart. This is an excellent low-growing perennial for heavy clay soils in semi-shade to full sun. Moist, well-drained soil is best, but this plant will tolerate both wet and dry conditions, as long as there is plenty of moisture early in the growing season.
Environmental benefits: It is a host plant for the caterpillars of the black swallowtail and Ozark swallowtail. Females of the mining bee species Andrena ziziae eat only its pollen. Dozens of species of bees, flies, wasps, butterflies, and other insects visit the flowers of Zizia aurea for its nectar. Many short tongue pollinators and smaller butterflies use Golden Zizia as a nectar source. As a long-spring flowering plant, it provides nectar when few flowers are blooming. It is deer resistant.
Source:
https://www.prairienursery.com/golden-alexanders-zizia-aurea.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zizia_aurea
http://tinyurl.com/554wmmzd
Image Source:
Photo by and (c)2007 Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man) - Self-photographed, GFDL 1.2, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2087778