Showy goldenrod

Sun

Full sun; tolerates light shade but may flower less and lean.

Water

Dry to moderately moist conditions once established; water regularly during the first growing season. Avoid persistently wet soil.

Soil

Well-drained sandy, gravelly or loamy soil; tolerates clay if drainage is good. Lean to moderately fertile soil is best.

Height

2-5 ft (0.6-1.5 m)

Spread

1-3 ft (0.3-0.9 m)

Flowers

Late summer to autumn; golden-yellow flowers in dense, upright, branching plumes.

Foliage

Green, alternate, lance-shaped leaves on stiff stems; lower leaves are larger and may drop before flowering.

Growth

Moderate

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Deer resistant
• Drought tolerant
• Cold hardy
• Wildlife
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Very tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1 ft (0.3 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.8 ft (0.55 m)

3. After 2 years

   2.6 ft (0.8 m)

4. After 3 years

   3 ft (1.1 m)

   full size

About 3 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Native to

the US and Canada

Growth rate

Moderate

• Water deeply during dry spells in the first growing season; established plants usually need little extra water.
• Avoid routine feeding, especially nitrogen-rich fertiliser, which encourages tall, floppy growth.
• Keep mulch away from the crown and avoid sites that stay wet through winter.
• Support stems early if they lean in rich soil or partial shade.
• Divide crowded clumps in spring and remove unwanted seedlings while small.

Pruning. Leave stems standing through winter for seed-eating birds and overwintering insects, then cut them close to the ground in early spring before new growth develops. To limit self-seeding, remove flower heads after flowering instead.

Early spring

Cut back old stems before new shoots grow; leave cut stems loosely stacked in a quiet garden corner for insects.

Spring

Plant or divide clumps in a sunny, well-drained position and water them in thoroughly.

Early summer

Check young plants for drought stress and add discreet supports if stems begin to lean.

Late summer

Enjoy the flowers and avoid insecticide sprays while pollinators are visiting.

Autumn

Remove spent flower heads if seedlings would be unwelcome; otherwise leave them for birds.

Winter

Check that water is not collecting around the crowns and leave standing stems undisturbed.

• Plant in groups through a sunny perennial border, pairing the yellow flowers with purple asters.
• Mix with little bluestem and prairie dropseed for an upright, late-season meadow planting.
• Use behind lower-growing perennials, which help conceal bare lower stems.
• Include in a pollinator border to extend the supply of nectar and pollen into autumn.

Garden styles it suits: Native meadow, Midwest prairie, New perennial (prairie), Pollinator garden, Wildlife garden and Cottage garden.

Plant it with: New England aster, Aromatic aster, Little bluestem, Prairie dropseed, Purple coneflower and Butterfly weed.

Wildlife: Flowers attract native bees, honeybees, butterflies, beetles and other beneficial insects. The foliage supports some moth and other insect larvae, and small birds may eat the seeds. Goldenrod pollen is carried mainly by insects; wind-pollinated ragweed flowering at the same time is a much more common cause of seasonal hay fever.

• Flopping stems: provide full sun, avoid fertiliser and support plants if needed.
• Powdery mildew or leaf spots: improve airflow, water at soil level and remove badly affected fallen foliage.
• Root or crown rot: improve drainage or move the plant to a drier position; avoid frequent watering once established.
• Unwanted seedlings: remove spent flower heads before seed disperses and pull seedlings while young.

Solidago speciosa is not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses, and no part is generally recognised as poisonous. It is an ornamental rather than a food plant; eating substantial amounts may cause digestive upset. Do not confuse it with unrelated poisonous plants also called goldenrod, such as rayless goldenrod.

• Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis)

  Canada goldenrod usually has broad, arching flower sprays and forms spreading colonies. Showy goldenrod has denser, more upright flower plumes and a more clearly clumping habit.

• Stiff goldenrod (Solidago rigida)

  Stiff goldenrod has broad, rough or hairy leaves and a relatively flat-topped flower cluster. Showy goldenrod has narrower, smoother leaves and an elongated, upright plume.

Solidago comes from Latin words meaning to make whole, referring to historical medicinal use, while speciosa means showy or handsome.

Propagation. Divide established clumps in spring. Sow seed outdoors in autumn, or give spring-sown seed a period of cold, moist stratification; press seed onto the surface rather than burying it deeply.

Accepted botanical name

Solidago speciosa

In the US and Canada

Native in Canada and the lower 48 states.

Native range

Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Masachusettes, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina and Ohio.

Measured

Average height 75 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.