Golden Alexander
Golden Alexander
Care Tips
Light
Golden alexander does best with over 8 hours of direct sunlight each day.
Water
This plant prefers soil that stays moist but doesn’t have standing water. When first planted or started from seed, keep the soil moist and water regularly to help the roots get established. Once mature, golden alexander can handle somewhat drier conditions.
Fertilizer
No fertilizer is needed for golden alexander. Just add a 2-inch layer of compost each year.
Pruning
Cutting the flowering stems down a little after blooming stops the plant from reseeding. To aid Iowa's wildlife, we recommend trimming as little as possible.
A Note of Caution
Yellow-flowering plants along Iowa roadsides are often weedy mustards, golden alexander, or wild parsnip. Mustards grow in disturbed areas, while golden alexander and wild parsnip—both biennials in the carrot family—are found in prairies and grassy spots.
Golden alexander is an early-blooming native prairie plant with pointed leaf lobes and short stalks. Wild parsnip is a later-blooming invasive species with egg-shaped, more numerous leaf lobes, grows up to 4 ft, and has a toxin that causes severe skin blistering in sunlight.
Both have umbrella-like flower clusters typical of the carrot family. If you see a yellow flower, identify it carefully—avoid wild parsnip due to its harmful sap.
Chris Barber, manager of Calkins Nature Area in Hardin County, Iowa, offers an informational video to aid in identifying golden alexander and wild parsnip.
