North Carolina Botanical Garden

Plant Index

Scientific Name:
Common Name:
Genus:
Family:

Zizia aurea

Zizia aurea (L.) W.D.J. Koch

common golden alexanders, common golden-alexanders, golden zizia

Image ID: 25806
Image by: Oglesby, Emily
Image Collection: NCBG Digital Library

PLANT INDEX

ID_PLANT: ZIAU
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Zizia aurea
Include in WOTAS: 1
Publish to Web: 1
Last Modified: 2019-03-25

GENUS INDEX

GENUS CODE: ZIZIA
GENUS SCIENTIFIC: Zizia
GENUS AUTHORITY: W.D.J. Koch
GENUS COMMON: Zizia
GENUS SUMMARY: A genus of about 4 species, herbs, temperate, of North America.
GENUS IDENTIFICATION:
GENUS REFERENCES: Mathias & Constance (1945)=MC; Cooperrider (1985)=Z.

FAMILY INDEX

FAMILY CODE: APIACE
FAMILY SCIENTIFIC: Apiaceae
FAMILY AUTHORITY: Lindley 1836 or UMBELLIFERAE A.L. de Jussieu 1789
FAMILY COMMON: Carrot Family
FAMILY SUMMARY: A family of about 445 genera and about 3540 species of herbs (rarely shrubs or trees), cosmopolitan, but especially north temperate. Hydrocotyle is more closely related to Araliaceae, and has been transferred there (Chandler & Plunkett 2004).
FAMILY REFERENCE: Mathias & Constance (1945)=MC. [also see ARALIACEAE]

NCBG DESCRIPTIVES

INTRO: Erect perennial of moist forests.
STEMS: Stems slender, branched above, with longitudinal lines, smooth.
LEAVES: Leaves basal and alternate on the stem, petiolate (petioles shorter upward), pinnately divided into 3 or 5 lance-shaped to oval leaflets to 3 in. long each, the larger leaflets lobed and all margins toothed; shiny and smooth.
INFLORESCENCE:
FLOWERS: Flowers in flat-topped, compound umbels, 2-3 in. wide, terminating stem and branches and consisting of around 12 umbellets each. Flowers stalked, except for the central one in each umbellet; bright yellow; 1/8 in. wide; consisting of 5 incurved petals, 5 protruding stamens and a protruding divided style.
FRUITS: Fruit a joined pair of ridged, oval seeds.
COMMENTS:
HEIGHT: 1-2.5 ft.

DURATION: Perennial
HABIT: Herb

LEAF ARRANGEMENT: Alternate
LEAF COMPLEXITY:
LEAF RETENTION:

FLORAL CHARACTERISTICS
SYMMETRY: Radial (Actinomorphic)
BLOOM TIME: April-July

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
		x	x	x	x	x	x

BLOOM COLOR: Yellow

White	Red	Pink	Orange	Yellow	Green	Blue	Lavender	Purple	Violet	Brown	Not Applicable
				x

FRUITING PERIOD: Jun-Jul.

DISTRIBUTION
HABITAT TYPE: Moist forests
NATIVE RANGE: eastern & central N. America

HORTICULTURAL
Plant Sale Text: Common golden alexanders produces showy, flat-topped clusters of small, bright yellow flowers in early summer. This plant provides butterflies with both a nectar source and larval food (host plant for Black Swallowtails). It is also attractive to a variety of pollinators. Long-lived, this species is found in rich moist woods, riverbanks, and open meadows. 2012 NC Wildflower of the Year.

Bloom Table Text: Flowering here in North Carolina from April through May, Golden Alexanders bring a deep yellow to our gardens and are a favorite food for the Black Swallowtail butterfly caterpillars. The flowers are attractive to many kinds of insects seeking pollen or nectar. The preference is full to partial sun, although light shade under trees is tolerated. The soil should be moist and loamy, and can contain some rocky material. Habitats include openings in moist to mesic woodlands, often in areas along woodland paths. It adapts readily to habitat restorations as it naturalizes easily.

NCBG Location: Education Center Landscape, Piedmont Habitat, Plant Families Garden

Cultural Notes:

SOIL MOISTURE: Dry, Average, Moist/Wet
LIGHT EXPOSURE: Sun, Part Shade, Shade
MINIMUM HARDINESS ZONE: 4
MAXIMUM HARDINESS ZONE: 8
GERMINATION CODE: 2
WILDLIFE VALUE: Bee Friendly, Butterfly Friendly
DEER RESISTANCE:

GRIM COLLECTIONS

Coll_id	Project	Collection date	Collector	Action
118	HORT	2011-10-20	Poythress	View
265	HORT	2009-08-01	Poythress	View
1336	HORT	2006-08-16	Bryan	View
1712	HORT	2005-01-01		View
2144	NPMD	2019-07-22	Touloupas	View
2188	NPMD	2019-08-28	Touloupas	View

GRIM ACCESSIONS

acc_id	acc_num	acc_dt	coll_id	Action
117	2012-0090	2012-11-13	118	View
260	2011-0102	2011-05-04	265	View
2838	1987-0345			View
3962	1992-0118			View
5015	1995-0134			View
5441	1995-0564			View
7506	2000-0264	2000-09-15		View
8068	2004-0076	2004-09-09		View
9391	2021-0054	2021-04-05	0	View
9413	2021-0075	2021-06-29		View
9667	2023-0115	2023-12-08	0	View

GRIM PLANTINGS

plt_num	acc_id	loc_num	pers_num	inst_dt	Action
210	117	16	NCBG staff	2012-06-18	View
624	260	30	NCBG staff	2011-04-07	View
625	260	32	NCBG staff	2011-04-07	View
626	260	16	NCBG staff	2011-11-20	View
4720	2838	8	NCBG staff	1979-10-04	View
4721	2838	8	NCBG staff	1979-10-04	View
6290	3962	200	NCBG staff	1993-03-01	View
7434	5015	202	NCBG staff	1992-01-01	View
7955	5441	204	NCBG staff	1993-01-01	View
10528	7506	142	NCBG staff	2000-01-01	View
10529	7506	114	NCBG staff	1967-12-01	View
11340	8068	27	NCBG staff	2003-11-05	View
12643	9391	226	Wait	2020-06-29	View
12644	9391	227	Wait	2020-06-29	View
12700	9391	16	NCBG staff	0000-00-00	View
12726	9413	146	Wenck	2021-05-03	View
13116	9391	18	NCBG staff	0000-00-00	View
13216	9391	225	Wait	2021-11-23	View
13981	0	81	Briggs	0000-00-00	View
13996	0	33	Mixon	0000-00-00	View
14031	0	31	Wait	0000-00-00	View
14044	9667	32	Wait	0000-00-00	View
14076	0	34	Wait	0000-00-00	View

USDA PLANTS DATABASE

USDA Symbol: ZIAU
USDA Common Name: Golden Zizia
Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)
Distribution: USA (AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, VT, WI, WV), CAN (MB, NB, NS, ON, QC)
Duration: Perennial
Growth Habit: Forb/herb

NATIONAL WETLAND INDICATOR STATUS

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:	FAC				FAC	FAC		FAC	FAC	FAC

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 2016 National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.3 (Lichvar, R.W., D.L. Banks, W.N. Kirchner, and N.C. Melvin. 2016. The National Wetland Plant List: 2016 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2016-30: 1-17. Published 28 April 2016. ISSN 2153 733X). Regions: AGCP-Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain, AK-Alaska, AW-Arid West, CB-Caribbean, EMP-Eastern Mountains and Piedmont, GP-Great Plains, HI-Hawaii, MW-Midwest, NCNE-Northcentral and Northeast, WMCV-Western Mountains, Valleys & Coast

WEAKLEY FLORA

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Zizia aurea
COMMON NAME: Common Golden-Alexanders
SYNONYMY: [= C, F, G, GW, Il, K, MC, Pa, RAB, S, Va, W, WH3, WV, Z]
PHENOLOGY: Apr-May; Jun-Jul.
HABITAT: Moist forests.
COMMENTS: NB west to SK, south to sw. GA, Panhandle FL, and e. TX.
RANGE MAP: Zizia aurea.png

Key to Map Symbols

ABOUT FAMILY (Weakley Flora)
Apiaceae Lindley 1836 or UMBELLIFERAE A.L. de Jussieu 1789 (Carrot Family)
SUMMARY: A family of about 445 genera and about 3540 species of herbs (rarely shrubs or trees), cosmopolitan, but especially north temperate. Hydrocotyle is more closely related to Araliaceae, and has been transferred there (Chandler & Plunkett 2004).
REFERENCE: Mathias & Constance (1945)=MC. [also see ARALIACEAE]

ABOUT GENUS (Weakley Flora)
Zizia W.D.J. Koch (Zizia)
SUMMARY: A genus of about 4 species, herbs, temperate, of North America.
REFERENCE: Mathias & Constance (1945)=MC; Cooperrider (1985)=Z.

HERBARIUM RESOURCES

SERNEC: Find Zizia aurea in Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available)
UNC SERNEC: Find Zizia aurea in University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Herbarium - Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available)

WEB RESOURCES

USDA: Find Zizia aurea in USDA Plants
NPIN: Find Zizia aurea in NPIN Database
FNA: Find Zizia aurea in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Zizia aurea

IMAGE USE RECORDS

ID IMAGE: 25806 - Primary Image FloraQuest Plant Detail Page (Landscape Preferred)
ID IMAGE1: 30912 - Primary Image WOTAS
ID IMAGE2: 0 - Secondary Image WOTAS
ID IMAGE3: 25806 - Primary Image Plant Sale Sign (Landscape Only)
ID IMAGE4: 0 - Primary Image New Plant Sale Label (Portrait Only)