Plant Profile: Zizia aurea

Golden Alexanders is a resilient plant that typically grows in small clusters in wet soils, yet it can also withstand dry summer conditions. It flourishes in both full and partial sunlight, and can even thrive in the dappled shade beneath trees.

This species is commonly found in a variety of habitats, including moist black soil prairies, openings within damp to moderately moist woodlands, savannas, thickets, limestone glades and bluffs, as well as power line clearings in wooded areas and abandoned fields.

In recognition of its beauty and ecological importance, Golden Alexanders was honored as the 2012 Wildflower of the Year in North Carolina, a designation overseen by the North Carolina Botanical Garden with financial backing from the Garden Club of North Carolina.