indiana native plant of the month - April

Eep! We’ve had our first few bouts of sunshine and we’re beyond excited to been gulfed by the warm sun and spring colors everywhere. To kick off this hopeful and happy season, I thought it best to shed some light on…

golden alexanders (ziza aurea)

Golden Alexanders are the unsung heroes in the vibrant world of spring/summer. These dazzling babes help feed out short-tongued pollinators in early spring before many other flowers bloom. A beautiful small yellow flower that blooms for many weeks at a time will give your natural garden or prairie a pop of color.

identifying golden alexanders

Golden Alexanders have a few key identifying traits such as:

• Small yellow flowers

• One stalk with compounded flowers atop

• About 12” tall

• Slightly serrated green leaves lowering in size the higher on the plant they grow

Fun fact: toxic family

Golden Alexanders have an evil twin called Wild Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa L.). Interaction with the evil one can cause burns and blistering on the skin. Maybe our plant got its name because it’s the GOLDEN child. *ba dum tss!*