Approximately 50 seeds per packet
Collected & Packaged: 2026
Germination code: 60C
Please refer to our germination codes and growing information for recommendations and tips.
Seed treatment recommended: these species require a minimum of 60 days of cold moist stratification to break natural seed dormancy and encourage germination. Alternatively, sow seeds in outdoor containers in the fall or winter, with germination occurring in the spring. Sometimes Zizia will germinate in as little as 30 days of cold moist stratification, but we recommend at least 60.
Seeds of this species appreciate being covered by a thin layer of soil or buried lightly when sown to aid in germination. A general rule of thumb is to cover them with a layer of soil no more than two to three times their width. However, it's better to plant seeds shallow, and most seeds will germinate even if surface sown. (Optional) Sprinkling a layer of sterile sand or vermiculite overtop the soil and sown seeds usually won't negatively impact germination, and may help to maintain soil moisture and deter mold.
Our recommendation is to sow the seeds in a tray or small multi-cell containers. Divide young plants in late spring or plant the containers as they are.
Zizia aurea (Golden alexanders) Seed Packet
Virginia ecotype
- Duration: Perennial
- Habit: Upright, clump-forming, naturalizing, deep rooted
- Size: Typically 1.5 to 3 feet tall; about 1 to 2 feet wide
- Flowering Time: April to June
- Bloom Color: Yellow
- Habitat: Moist meadows, woodland edges, prairies, stream banks, and open woods
- Moisture: Average to moist; well-drained to seasonally wet; drought tolerant once established
- Light: Full sun to part shade; best showing in full sun
- Soils: Loamy, clay, or sandy soils; prefers rich, moist soils but is adaptable
- Uses: Pollinator gardens, rain gardens, native borders, meadow plantings, woodland edge restoration
Zizia are wildflowers in the carrot family (Apiaceae) found throughout eastern and central North America. The Zizia genus is a larval host plant for the Black swallowtail butterfly (Papilio polyxenes), whose caterpillars feed on the leaves of this genus, and many common garden plants, like parsley, fennel, and dill.
These deep-rooted perennials produce umbrella-like clusters of bright yellow flowers for a month or two in spring, providing a very important and attractive early nectar source for short-tongued solitary native bees, small native flies, moths and butterflies. The Zizia genus supports a specialist bee, Andrena ziziae, the Zizia mining bee.
Deer and rabbits tend to avoid alexanders, making them a resilient garden choice. It will spread only by seeding, to form a colony over time if there is enough open ground. Zizia aurea sports foliage like that of its parsley and parsnip relatives, but is potentially toxic to humans. Try growing it for the bright flowers which occur at the uncommon time of year between spring and summer.
While it can be found in dry upland, and is drought tolerant once established, we find it performs best in moderately moist areas, even a potential species for rain gardens so long as the soil is well draining.