Alexanders: The Forgotten Herb That’s Making a Garden Comeback
Meet Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum), a plant that’s been quietly winning over gardeners with its bold personality and easy-going nature. This Mediterranean native might not be the most famous herb in your garden center, but it’s definitely one worth getting to know – especially if you’re looking for something that can handle tough conditions while providing early season interest.
What Exactly Is Alexanders?
Alexanders is a robust biennial herb that belongs to the same family as carrots and parsley. With its glossy, dark green compound leaves and distinctive bright yellow-green flower clusters that appear in umbrella-like formations, this plant has a presence that’s hard to ignore. The flowers eventually give way to striking black seeds, adding another layer of visual interest to your garden.
Where Does It Come From?
Originally from the Mediterranean region, Alexanders has made itself at home in coastal areas across Southern Europe, North Africa, and parts of Western Asia. It’s particularly fond of seaside locations, where it thrives despite salt spray and challenging growing conditions.
Why You Might Want to Grow Alexanders
Here’s where Alexanders really shines – it’s practically bulletproof. This plant laughs in the face of poor soil, drought, and even salt spray, making it perfect for those challenging spots in your garden where other plants fear to tread.
- Early season interest: Alexanders gets going when most other plants are still sleeping, providing much-needed color and structure in late winter and early spring
- Pollinator magnet: Those bright yellow-green flowers are like a neon open sign for early pollinators when food sources are scarce
- Architectural appeal: The bold foliage and sturdy stems add fantastic texture and form to any planting
- Virtually maintenance-free: Once established, this plant pretty much takes care of itself
Growing Conditions and Care
Alexanders is refreshingly undemanding. It’s hardy in USDA zones 6-9 and adapts well to a variety of conditions:
- Light: Partial shade to full sun (though it appreciates some afternoon shade in hotter climates)
- Soil: Not picky – handles everything from sandy coastal soil to heavier clay, as long as it drains reasonably well
- Water: Drought tolerant once established, though it appreciates occasional deep watering during dry spells
- Size: Can reach 3-5 feet tall and 2-3 feet wide, so give it some room to spread
Perfect Garden Roles
Alexanders works beautifully in several garden styles. It’s a natural for Mediterranean and coastal gardens, where its salt tolerance and drought resistance really shine. Cottage garden enthusiasts love its informal, slightly wild appearance, while wildlife gardeners appreciate its early pollinator benefits. It also makes an excellent addition to herb gardens, both for its historical culinary uses and its striking appearance.
Planting and Care Tips
Here’s the good news: Alexanders is almost foolishly easy to grow. You can start from seed in fall or early spring – just scatter them where you want plants to grow, as this plant doesn’t love being transplanted. As a biennial, it will spend its first year developing those handsome leaves, then flower and set seed in its second year.
One heads up: Alexanders is an enthusiastic self-seeder. While this makes it great for naturalizing, you might find yourself playing weed or welcome guest? with seedlings in unexpected places. Simply pull unwanted seedlings when they’re young if you want to keep it contained.
A Few Considerations
While Alexanders isn’t native to North America, it’s generally well-behaved in gardens and isn’t considered invasive. However, if you’re focused on supporting native ecosystems, you might consider native alternatives like wild ginger (Asarum canadense) for shaded areas or golden alexanders (Zizia aurea) for sunnier spots, both of which offer similar early season interest and pollinator benefits.
The Bottom Line
Alexanders is that reliable friend who shows up when you need them most – providing early color when your garden is just waking up, asking for almost nothing in return, and always looking good while doing it. If you’ve got a challenging spot that needs some personality, or you’re simply looking for an easy-care plant with year-round interest, Alexanders might just be your new garden favorite.
