Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Share

Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

Enter a Plant Name:
Or you can choose a plant family:

Solidago californica

Solidago californica Nutt.

California Goldenrod, Northern California Goldenrod

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: SOCA5

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

A 1-5 ft. perennial from creeping rhizomes with fuzzy-gray leaves and stems. The flowering stalks are wand-like with showy clusters of small, yellow flowers.

California Goldenrod is a member of the aster family (family Asteraceae) which includes herbs, sometimes shrubs or vines, rarely trees, with simple or compound, alternate or opposite leaves. Flowers small, but organized into larger heads resembling a single, radially symmetrical flower cupped by a ring of green bracts. In this large, worldwide family there are about 920 genera and 19,000 species. Cosmos, Sunflower, Zinnia, Dahlia, and many others are grown as ornamentals; Lettuce, Sunflowers, and Artichokes provide food. Safflower oil is obtained from this family. Ragweed pollen causes hay fever.

 

From the Image Gallery

No images of this plant

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Size Notes: Up to about 5 feet tall.
Fruit: Fruit is a cypsela (pl. cypselae). Though technically incorrect, the fruit is often referred to as an achene.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Time: Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct

Distribution

USA: CA , OR
Native Distribution: S.w. OR, mostly w. of the Sierras to s. CA, extending e. into NV
Native Habitat: Dry to moist fields & clearings

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Description: Dry to moist soils.
Conditions Comments: Spreads by rhizomes but is easily controlled.

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees
Special Value to Honey Bees
Supports Conservation Biological Control

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Propagation

Description: Propagate by division or seeds.
Commercially Avail: yes

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden - Santa Barbara, CA
Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Solidago californica in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Solidago californica in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Solidago californica

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-01-16
Research By: TWC Staff

Go back