Solidago erecta

Acidic, Attracts butterflies, Attracts pollinators, Dry, Dry Meadow, Full sun, Good for urban sites, Ground layer, Low-Elevation Mesic Forest, Mesic, Moist, Noteworthy blooms, Part shade, Perennial, Rocky, Sandy, Wet Meadow, Wide amplitude

Erect goldenrod

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

Also often conflated with Solidago speciosa, showy goldenrod

overview

This wonderful little goldenrod is an unbranched clumping perennial with a cluster of basal leaves and slender flower stalks covered in bright yellow flowers in late summer through autumn.

Stems and foliage are often purple tinged. 

wildlife value

​G​oldenrods are among the most important late-season pollinator plan​t. Used by long-tongued bees, short-tongued bees, wasps, flies, beetles, and butterflies. Honeybees collect ​the nectar for winter, and other bees use the pollen to supply late-season nests. The caterpillars of many moths feed on the foliage.

Contrary to popular belief, goldenrod is not a source of fall allergies because its pollen is not light enough to be transported on the wind. Fall allergies are associated with wind-pollinated plants such as ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia), an annual plant with greenish flowers that is often unnoticed.

maintenance

Plants proliferate from rhizomes but are generally not considered to be overly aggressive.  In ideal conditions (moist, fertile soils), this species can spread somewhat aggressively or can flop due to weak rapid growth.

If seedlings are a problem, deadhead to remove spent flower before the seed ripen. 

This species is relatively disease free except for an occasional bout with powdery mildew.

sources

Availability Vendor Website 
X Earth Sangha (VA) https://www.earthsangha.org/
Hill House Farm & Nursery (VA) http://hillhousenativeplants.com/plant_list
Nature By Design (VA) http://www.nature-by-design.com/plantlist2019.html

X		 Chesapeake Natives, Inc. (Region) http://chesapeakenatives.org/plant-list/

references

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