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Golden Alexander, Zizia aurea
As a member of the carrot family, it is a host plant for the caterpillar of the black swallowtail butterfly. It is an excellent plant for boulevards and front yards since it is very adaptable, not too high, salt tolerant and moderately deer resistant.
Ecology:
Golden Alexander provides important early-season nectar and pollen for small and large bees just emerging from pupation. The flower head's open form allows many insects to access the nectar, so butterflies, beetles, and wasps are among the frequent visitors.
Golden Alexander is a host plant for several butterflies and provides pollen to a specialist bee.
Growing conditions:
Golden Alexander occurs in moist prairies, savannas, thickets and open woodlands. It is a versatile, easy-to-grow plant as long as it gets part sun.
Golden Alexander
30 - 90 cm great pollinator boulevards sun - part sun host plant early bloomer any soil type pollen specialist salt tolerant medium to wet bird seed deer resitstant .
Garden symphony:
Golden Alexander looks stunning with sundial lupine (a.k.a. wild lupine) as they bloom together and complement each other in colour. Other great companions that bloom early are wild chives, wild columbine, Ohio spiderwort, wild geranium, blue-eyed grass, wild strawberry and prairie smoke. To have continuous bloom, you can add swamp milkweed and New England aster.