There's a lot to love about Zizia aurea -- and this tops my list:  it's a full-sun perennial that blooms in May.  These are hard to find!  This plant goes in all my sunny gardens.  It's also clump forming and not too tall.
 
     A pollinator favorite, butterflies, moths, native bees, beetles and other flying things flock to Golden Alexanders for nectar.  It's an excellent plant for a pollinator or butterfly garden, adding color while awaiting the late summer burst of the asters.
 
     Fun Fact: Golden Alexander was selected as the North Carolina Botanical Garden's Wildflower of the Year for 2012.