Zizia aptera (A. Gray) Fernald var. occidentalis Fernald
Zizia cordata W.D.J. Koch ex DC.
Zizia aptera (A. Gray) Fernald Heart-leaved golden alexander, meadow zizia, heart-leaved golden alexanders
Heart-leaved golden alexanders are North American natives. Identification: Plants reach 1-2½′ (30-76 cm) in height. Lower leaves are divided into threes; upper leaves in two. Leaves are up to 4″ (10 cm) long and 3″ (7.6 cm) wide, heart-shaped, with finely toothed edges. Flowerheads have the overall shape of a gently curved umbrella about 2-3″ (5-7.6 cm) across, divided into smaller groups (parasols?). The smaller groups approximately 25 tiny yellow flowers, each less than ⅛″ (3.2 mm) across, each with five petals. The dried seedheads become purple. Here are two golden alexanders: |
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You are here Zizia aptera |
Zizia aurea |
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Common Name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Plant | 1-2½′ (30-76 cm) high. | 1½-3′ (45-91 cm) high. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Flowers | Umbrella-shaped cluster about 2-3″ (5-7.6 cm) across, split into smaller groups of tiny yellow flowers, about 25 per group. | Umbrella-shaped cluster about 2″ (5 cm) across, split into smaller groups of tiny yellow flowers, about 25 per group. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leaves | Lower leaves are heart-shaped. Up to 4″ (10 cm) long × 3″ (7.6 cm) wide. | Lower leaves divided into threes, upper leaves in two. Up to 2½″ (6.3 cm) long × 2½″ (6.3 cm) wide. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Range/ Zones | USDA Zones: 3-8 | USDA Zones: 3-8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Habitats | Black soil prairies, hillside prairies, rocky upland woodlands, limestone glades, bluffs, abandoned fields, and roadsides | Prairies, glades, open woods, fields, thickets | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Type | Wild | Wild |
Edibility: Not edible. Caution: the flowerheads of these plants resemble those of water hemlock (Cicuta maculata), which is extremely poisonous . Water hemlock flowers are white, while zizias are yellow.
Online References:
The Connecticut Botanical Society's Connecticut wildflowers site
Www.nativeplanttrust.org (PDF)
Zizia aptera (A. Gray) Fernald var. occidentalis Fernald
Zizia cordata W.D.J. Koch ex DC.
Zizia aptera description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 16 Sep 2020.
Range: Zones 3-8: