Spatial control of carrier density is critical for engineering and exploring the interactions of localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) in nanoscale semiconductors. Here, we couple <i>in situ</i> infrared spectral response measurements and discrete dipole approximation (DDA) calculations to show the impact of axially graded carrier density profiles on the optical properties of mid-infrared LSPRs supported by Si nanowires synthesized by the vapor–liquid–solid technique. The region immediately adjacent to each intentionally encoded resonator (<i>i.e.</i>, doped segment) can exhibit residual carrier densities as high as 10<sup>20</sup> cm<sup>–3</sup>, which strongly modifies both near- and far-field behavior. Lowering substrate temperature during the spacer segment growth reduces this residual carrier density and results in a spectral response that is indistinguishable from nanowires with ideal, atomically abrupt carrier density profiles. Our experiments have important implications for the control of near-field plasmonic phenomena in semiconductor nanowires, and demonstrate methods for determining and controlling axial dopant profile in these systems