Zizia trifoliata , Meadows Alexander, is a plant found throughout the eastern parts of the U.S. such as Alabama, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Minnesota, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vancouver, and Wyoming. Requiring shade, it is often seen in mesic hardwood forests. In North Carolina, it is rarely found along the coast, mainly in locations with very rich soil. Wildlife Value: Members of the genus Zizia support the following specialized bee: Andrena (Micrandrena) ziziae. Habitat: Moist forests, woodlands, and woodland borders
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt)
Soil pH
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Multi-stemmed
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Ovate
Leaf margin
Crenate; Serrate
Leaf feel
Leathery
Leaf size
1-3 inches long
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Has both basal and stem leaves, divided into smaller leaflets. The leaves have strong and large teeth, but only a few along the margin.
Flower color
Gold/Yellow
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Umbel
Flower detail
Blooms from April to May.
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit type
Achene; Capsule
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Displays from July to August.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
US Southeast
Distribution
AL, AR, DC, FL, GA, KY, MD, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV
Wildlife value
This plant supports Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) larvae which appear between April and October and have one to two flights in the north or three flights in the south. Adult Black Swallowtail butterflies feed on flower nectar from thistles, milkweed and red clover.