Goldenrod was once undeservedly banish from gardens . This sunny North American aboriginal plant was ( and sadly still is ) considered a weed in much of the country and is often charge for causing hay pyrexia , though its pollen is too heavy to be channel on the wind . ( Ragweed is the true culprit . ) There are more than seventy - five coinage of this beautiful , underused plant , and many of those species have numerous varieties and cultivar . Goldenrod is hardy fromUSDA zones 4 to 9and grasp in altitude from 1 to 4 feet , depending on the coinage . All goldenrods are in the genusSolidago .
Goldenrods bear golden - yellow bloom on thin stanch in late summertime , and it ’s often difficult to differentiate one species from another . The many tiny flowers of this late - foul-up are organized into florescence that range from spike - corresponding clusters to plumes , balls and even firework - like salvo , depending on the specie , variety or cultivar . All goldenrods prefer full sun and norm to moist garden soil , and some do have a tendency to spread aggressively via their underground rootstalk .
In other parts of the globe , where goldenrod was introduced as a garden specimen , the plant has escape and displaced native plants , causing job . Here in North America , though , goldenrods supply pollen , nectar and much needed habitat to soldier beetles , ladybugs , parasitic wasps , damsel bugs , assassin bugs and many otherbeneficial insects .
Although there are many selections to cull from , here are three goldenrod specie with a broad native range and an easy nature . I grow all three of these option in my own garden and am thrilled late every summer when they do into peak .
Solidago canadensis , or Canada goldenrod , is aboriginal to nearly all of North America with the exception of the extreme Southeast . It has a loosely arrange , inverted cone - shaped infloresence . It reaches 2 to 4 human foot in peak and spreads fairly apace . It can be distinguished from other common goldenrods by the small hairs on its leafage and stems .
Solidago altissima , aka tall goldenrod , late goldenrod or Canada goldenrod , is indigenous to everywhere but the Pacific Northwest and a few other United States Department of State . Its flowers occur as loose , feather - like plumes , and the plant reaches 3 to 4 feet in summit .
Solidago missouriensis , Missouri goldenrod , produce a dense plume of bright yellow flowers and is native west of the Mississippi River . It reaches 1 to 3 feet in height . Missouri goldenrod ’s stem can be pink , green or even dark red , and both the stems and parting are hairless . It is one of the other goldenrods to blossom .
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