Golden Alexander is a true unsung hero of the spring native garden. Flat-topped clusters of tiny sunny-yellow flowers light up the landscape from mid to late spring, filling the gap between early bulbs and summer perennials with a wash of cheerful gold. The umbel-shaped blooms (think a softer, sunnier cousin of Queen Anne's Lace) bring in early-season native bees and beneficial insects looking for their first nectar of the year.

Its most important job, though, may be as a host plant. Golden Alexander is a primary food source for the caterpillars of the black swallowtail and Ozark swallowtail butterflies, making it an essential addition to any garden built with pollinators in mind. The clean green foliage holds up beautifully after the flowers fade, providing structure into summer, and the plant naturalizes politely in moist meadows, woodland edges, and rain gardens.

Reaching 18-36 inches tall with an 18-24 inch spread, Golden Alexander adapts to sun or part shade and tolerates clay, sandy, and loamy soils with equal grace. Pair it with blue wild indigo, prairie phlox, or wild geranium for a spring native combination that supports the pollinators that need us most.