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Solidago altissima (Tall goldenrod)
Lytle, Melody

Solidago altissima L.

Tall Goldenrod, Late goldenrod, Canadian goldenrod, Canada goldenrod

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

Synonyms: Solidago canadensis, Solidago canadensis var. scabra

USDA Symbol: soal6

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

Rough, erect, 2-4 ft. stems occur singly or in clusters. Small, yellow flowers are arranged along the upper side of branches, forming a feathery, plume-shaped inflorescence.

Two other similar species with arching flower stalks are Giant Goldenrod (S. gigantea), smooth-stemmed, often with whitish bloom, and with flower heads to 1/4 of an inch (6 mm) long, and Canada Goldenrod (S. canadensis), with sharply toothed leaves and very small flower heads only 1/8 of an inch (3 mm) long. These three species appear so similar to the casual observer that they share several common names. Although S. altissima and other Goldenrods are commonly blamed for hay fever, this discomfort is usually caused by pollen from Ragweed (Ambrosia spp.).

 

From the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Leaf: Yellow-Green
Flower: Flowers in 3 inch pyramid
Fruit:
Size Class: 3-6 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Time: Sep , Oct , Nov

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , AZ , CA , CO , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , HI , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , MS , MT , NC , ND , NE , NH , NJ , NM , NY , OH , OK , PA , RI , SC , SD , TN , TX , VA , VT , WI , WV
Canada: NB , NS , ON , PE , QC , SK
Native Distribution: Most of s. Canada & AK, s. to VA, LA & CA
Native Habitat: Dry to moist roadsides, thickets, prairies & open woods
USDA Native Status: L48(N), HI(I), CAN(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Part Shade , Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium
Soil Description: Moist to dry soils. Clay, Clay Loam, Medium Loam, Sandy Loam, Sandy, Caliche type
Conditions Comments: Height is determined mostly by the fertility and moisture content of the soil. The western form is ssp. elongata.

Benefit

Use Ornamental: Perennial garden, Pocket prairie
Use Wildlife: Attracts butterflies.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Attracts: Birds

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

Propagation Material: Seeds
Description: Propagate by seed or division of clumps. Use only strong outer rhizomes when dividing.
Seed Collection: Not Available
Seed Treatment: Not Available
Commercially Avail: yes

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is either on display or available from the following:

Fredericksburg Nature Center - Fredericksburg, TX
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
Sibley Nature Center - Midland, TX
Brackenridge Field Laboratory - Austin, TX
Crosby Arboretum - Picayune, MS
Nueces River Authority - Uvalde, TX

Bibliography

Bibref 355 - Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas and the Southwest (1991) Miller, G. O.
Bibref 318 - Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region (2002) Wasowski, S. & A. Wasowski
Bibref 248 - Texas Wildflowers: A Field Guide (1984) Loughmiller, C. & L. Loughmiller
Bibref 286 - Wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country (1989) Enquist, M.

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

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

Metadata

Record Modified: 2010-11-20
Research By: TWC Staff

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