Zizia aurea – Native Gardens of Blue Hill

Etymology

Zizia is named for Johann Baptist Ziz, a German botanist; aurea is Latin for golden yellow.

Native Habitat

Forests, meadows and shores of rivers or lakes.

Garden Uses

This plant has showy blooms and is appropriate for cottage gardens, cut flower gardens, low maintenance plantings, prairie gardens and rain gardens. It is a good choice for a wildlife garden or sunny meadow.

Overview

Zizia is a perennial that often grows in colonies and will naturalize in open meadows, woodland edges, and roadsides with adequate moisture. Although short-lived, it self-seeds and will therefore persist in many sun and 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 prefers full sun or light shade.

Leaves and Stems

The alternately arranged leaves are 2 or 3 times divided in groups of 3. Leaflets are to 3" long and 2" wide, with sharply toothed edges and pointed tips. The end leaflet is largest and usually tapers to a narrow base, though leaflet shape varies and may be oval, egg-shaped, irregular, lobed or divided into 2 or 3 parts. The stems are 1’ to 4’ tall and are branching, erect, and reddish in color. Multiple stems may arise from the root.

Flowers

Separate clusters of tiny, yellow flowers gather into a large (1” to 3” across), flat-topped flower head, the middle flower of each umbel being stalkless. The individual yellow flowers in the umbel are less than 1/8" long. Each tiny flower has 5 sepals, 5 petals, and 5 stamens.

Fruit/Seed

Dry seed heads turn purple when ripe. The fruit is brown, 2-sectioned, oval, slightly flattened and ridged. It eventually splits into 2 oblong seeds that are 1/8" to 1/16" long and ripen to a dark brown color.

Animal Associates

Zizia is an important plant to a number of short-tongued insects that are able to easily reach the nectar in the small yellow flowers. Black Swallowtail caterpillars feed on its leaves.