Heartleaf golden alexanders flower in late May into early June in Western NY. The bright yellow blossoms that adorn this great plant are not the best thing about it. The most important and best feature is that it is a host plant for the Black Swallowtail butterfly. The adult butterfly lays its eggs on this plant and other members of the carrot family. The caterpillars feed on the leaves. (You will hardly notice). The Back Swallowtail butterfly is amazing and when you see this butterfly on a nectar plant such as summer phlox or Joe-pye weed you know your garden is nature friendly. Bees, flies and other insects use this plant as a nectar source.

The bottom leaves of heartleaf golden alexander are heart shaped. The leaves as you go up the reddish stem the leaves become compound and the petioles are shorter, the leaves are leathery looking.  The plant grows from one to three feet tall. The plant grows in open wood or moist meadows; it tends to stay shorted in dryer sites.

Heartleaf alexanders are a great plant to include in you butterfly or pollinator garden. Use it with Joe-pye weed, red cardinal flower, asters, river avens, goldenrod and liatris. Plant these with marsh marigold and blue flag iris for a full season of color.