Heart-Leaved Alexanders
(Zizia aptera)
Heart-Leaved Alexanders (Zizia aptera)
/
/
aarongunnar
CC BY 4.0
Image By:
aarongunnar
Recorded By:
Copyright:
CC BY 4.0
Copyright Notice:
Photo by: aarongunnar | License Type: CC BY 4.0 | License URL: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | Rights Holder: aarongunnar | Publisher: iNaturalist | Date Created: 2018-05-19T08:13:01-07:00 |
Estimated Native Range
Summary
Zizia aptera, commonly known as Heart-Leaved Alexanders, is a deciduous perennial herb, inaccurately described as evergreen, native to a variety of habitats including moist meadows, floodplains, and open woodlands in North America. It typically grows to a height of 1-3 feet (0.3-0.9 meters) and a width of 1-2 feet (0.3-0.6 meters). The plant features compound leaves with a heart-shaped base and umbels of small, bright yellow flowers that bloom in late spring to early summer, providing a showy display that attracts pollinators.
Heart-Leaved Alexanders is valued for its low maintenance and adaptability to a range of soil conditions, making it a suitable choice for native plant gardens, pollinator gardens, and naturalized areas. It thrives in full sun to part shade and prefers moist, well-drained soils, but can tolerate occasional flooding. While it is not commonly used in culinary or medicinal applications, its ecological role in supporting pollinators and beneficial insects is noteworthy. Gardeners should be aware that it can self-seed and spread, though it is not typically aggressive.CC BY-SA 4.0
Heart-Leaved Alexanders is valued for its low maintenance and adaptability to a range of soil conditions, making it a suitable choice for native plant gardens, pollinator gardens, and naturalized areas. It thrives in full sun to part shade and prefers moist, well-drained soils, but can tolerate occasional flooding. While it is not commonly used in culinary or medicinal applications, its ecological role in supporting pollinators and beneficial insects is noteworthy. Gardeners should be aware that it can self-seed and spread, though it is not typically aggressive.CC BY-SA 4.0
Plant Description
- Plant Type: Herb
- Height: 1-3 feet
- Width: 1-1.5 feet
- Growth Rate: Rapid
- Flower Color: Yellow
- Flowering Season: Spring
- Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Growth Requirements
- Sun: Full Sun, Part Shade
- Water: Medium, High
- Drainage: Medium
Common Uses
Bee Garden, Bird Garden, Border Plant, Butterfly Garden, Drought Tolerant, Potted Plant, Showy Flowers, Water Garden
Natural Habitat
Moist meadows, floodplains, and open woodlands
Other Names
Common Names: Heart-Leaved Meadow Parsnip , Heartleaf Alexanders , Meadow Zizia , Heart-Leaved Golden Alexanders , Prarie Golden Alexanders , Wingless Alexanders , Zizia Des Marais , Hjärtzizia
Scientific Names: Zizia aptera , Zizia aptera var. aptera , Zizia cordata , Zizia aptera var. occidentalis , Thaspium cordatum , Smyrnium cordatum , Thaspium trifoliatum var. apterum , Carum cordatum , Upopion cordatum
GBIF Accepted Name: Zizia aptera (A.Gray) Fernald