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Solidago canadensis

canada goldenrod

Asteraceae North America

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant

Native to North America

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 3–9

Overview

Solidago canadensis is a rhizomatous perennial in the aster family, reaching 3-5 feet (90-150 cm) tall on erect, leafy stems that are smooth below and finely hairy near the top. The lance-shaped leaves are 2-5 inches (5-13 cm) long, sharply toothed, and marked with three prominent parallel veins. From late summer into autumn the stems are topped by large, branched, pyramidal clusters of hundreds of tiny golden-yellow flower heads, each about 0.1 inch (3 mm) across. The plant spreads both by seed and by creeping rhizomes, forming dense colonies in meadows, roadsides, old fields, and prairie margins. Native across most of North America, it has naturalized in Europe and eastern Asia, where it is treated as an invasive weed of grasslands and disturbed land. The flowers are insect-pollinated and a heavy late-season nectar and pollen source, so the species is not a cause of hay fever, which is triggered by wind-pollinated ragweed blooming at the same time. It tolerates poor, dry soils and competes strongly with neighboring plants, which can limit its use in small mixed plantings.

Native Range

Native to most of North America, from Canada south through the central and eastern United States. It grows in open habitats including meadows, prairies, roadsides, and forest edges.

Suggested Uses

Used in naturalistic plantings, wildlife and pollinator gardens, and meadow or prairie restorations. Serves as a late-season nectar plant in settings that can accommodate its spread. The cut stems are sometimes used in fresh and dried arrangements.

How to Identify

Identified by erect stems 3-5 feet (90-150 cm) tall bearing lance-shaped, three-veined leaves with toothed margins. The tiny golden-yellow flower heads are arranged in a one-sided, branched, pyramidal plume at the stem tip. The combination of three-veined leaves and a broad, plume-like flower cluster separates it from many other Solidago spp. species.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height3' - 5'

Width/Spread1' - 2'

Reaches mature size in approximately 2 years

Colors

Flower Colors

yellow

Foliage Colors

green

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~6 weeks

Summer Fall

Blooms from late summer into autumn, generally August through October. The pyramidal flower clusters open over several weeks, drawing bees, wasps, and butterflies. Seed heads with tufted, wind-dispersed seeds follow in late autumn.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

Green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.0 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam sand clay

Drainageaverage

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

Reaches full size in 1-2 seasons

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grows in full sun to light shade in almost any soil, including poor, dry, and sandy ground. Needs little watering once established and tolerates drought through deep rhizomes. It grows across a pH range of about 5.0-7.5. The rhizomes spread quickly and can form large colonies, so it is often confined with barriers or grown in wilder settings. Cutting plants back after flowering reduces self-seeding. In regions outside North America it is regulated as an invasive species in some countries.

Pruning

Cut stems to the ground in late autumn or winter after flowering. Removing the flower plumes before seed set limits spreading by seed. Dividing the clumps every few years controls the rhizomatous spread.

✓ Toxicity

Non-toxic