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Showy Goldenrod

Solidago speciosa

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Category
Forb / Wildflower
Sun
Full to Partial
Soil moisture
Medium to Dry
Bloom time
Sep–Nov
Bloom color
Yellow

About Showy Goldenrod

Showy Goldenrod lives up to its name, offering what many consider the most elegant floral display of the entire genus. Reaching heights of one to five feet, this perennial is characterized by its smooth, often reddish stems and attractive, lance-shaped leaves. Unlike the arching plumes of many other goldenrods, its bright yellow flowers are held in dense, upright, club-like spikes that bloom from August into October. Native to prairies, open woods, and rocky glades across much of the United States, it is a well-behaved clump-former that does not spread aggressively, making it perfect for formal garden designs. Showy Goldenrod is a premier pollinator plant, attracting a vast array of bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects, while its late-season seeds provide valuable food for wintering birds. It thrives in full sun and well-drained, average to dry soils, and is notably drought-tolerant once established, making it an ideal choice for adding structure and brilliant color to any late-season border.

Native range

Native to 37 states:

AlabamaArkansasColoradoConnecticutGeorgiaIowaIllinoisIndianaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMassachusettsMarylandMichiganMinnesotaMissouriMississippiNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaNebraskaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkOhioOklahomaPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasVirginiaVermontWisconsinWest VirginiaWyoming

County range map

BONAP county-level native range map for Solidago speciosa

Range map courtesy of BONAP (Biota of North America Program).

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