Golden Alexanders

Zizia aurea

Golden Alexanders is a perennial for edging, mid-border, suited to full sun to partial shade and clay, loam or moist ground, flowering Apr, May, Jun.

Where to use it in a border

At around 60 cm, it sits best along the front edge, where a low, spreading habit reads best. Give it about 45 cm of room to spread, roughly 2 to the metre when planted in a drift. It is hardy across USDA zones 3a to 8b, so check it suits your area before planting.

It appears in our lists of full sun, clay soil, wet soil, pollinator-friendly plants.

Border Builder uses Golden Alexanders's height, spread, soil, bloom months and companions to place it in a full border plan for your own conditions, on iPhone and iPad.

Flowering through the year

Worth knowing

• It copes with ground that stays wet, which most border plants will not.
• Its flowers are valued by bees and other pollinators.

Good companions

Plants that share its conditions and style, chosen to complement its place in the border:

• American Spikenardfor height behind it
• Bunchberryto edge in front
• Common Sneezeweedfor height behind it
• Compass Plantfor height behind it
• Coneflower 'Cheyenne Spirit'to flower when it does not
• Coneflower 'Magnus'to flower when it does not

Garden styles

Meadow Native Wildlife garden