Solidago Species, Showy Goldenrod, Showywand Goldenrod, Paleleaf Goldenrod

I planted one specimen I bought from a native plant nursery in southeast Pennsylvania. It is doing well after a year and a half in silty-...Read Moreclay soil, and blooms August into October, making a great pollinator plant like other Goldenrods. It is native in woodland openings, meadows, and prairies from southern Minnesota through Michigan and through New York to Massachusetts and southward to around the Gulf of Mexico.

One of the most attractive solidagos IMHO, with it tall, full columnar or pyramidal flower spikes. More flower to foliage ratio than mos...Read Moret other solidago, and looks appropriate in a garden as well as large wild settings. The listings claim it grows 1-3 feet, but we've gotten some 4-5 footers even before flowering, and one major prairie native plant nursery also lists the height at 5 feet. Looks great with tall, blue native asters like sky blue aster (A. azureus/A. oolentangiense/Symphiotrichum oolentangiense) & smooth aster (A. laevis/S. laeve), which bloom during the same period.

Drought tolerant, and attracts pollinators (bees, beetles, & some butterflies & moths) in droves. Seeds are sometimes eaten by American goldfinches & greater prairie chickens, although it's not their preferred seed source. Grows easily from seed, needing no pre-treatment. Just fall so outside or sow inside or outside in the spring.

If you like this species, check out the blue-stemmed goldenrod (Solidago caesia) for shadier spots. Its flower heads look like fireworks or shooting stars.

This plant has thrived under fairly challenging circumstances. I planted it in the most impoverished clay soil, though certainly well dr...Read Moreained. Further, I permitted a bean plant to vine over it. (I get a kick out of permitting beans and tomatoes to act as weeds in my otherwise native American yard, because it makes my whining about the weeds more amusing.) I think I would advise against putting it in soil that it would like, but it's quite quite delightful in well drained clay which puts a damper on the goldenrod tendency to spread.

I have not grown this plant. Showy goldenrod is a deer resistant, native rhizomatous plant that inhabits almost all of North America. Pre...Read Moreferring sandy to loamy soil, it can grow in poor dry soils as well as medium wet soils as long as the soil is well drained. It can be found in fields, open woods, meadows, prairies, along roadsides and in thickets reaching a height of between 2 and 3 feet and between 2 and 3 feet wide. Thriving best in full sun, it can tolerate very light shade.

The lance-shaped, toothed, hairy leaves densely alternate along upright reddish colored stalks from ground level to club-shaped, terminal, clustered flower heads which occur from late July through October. The thick, branching heads have tiny bright yellow flowers. To prolong blooming, remove the spent flower clusters. Showy goldenrod may need to be divided every 2 to 3 years to control its growth. Although it has been accused of being an allergen, goldenrod does not cause hay fever. It attracts bees and butterflies and seems to have no serious insect or disease problems except for leaf rust which may occasionally occur. Showy goldenrod provides late summer and fall color and is an excellent choice for naturalized areas (wildscapaes), xeriscapes, rock gardens and perennial beds.