Cultivation Information and How to Grow Goldenrods
Botanical and Common Name: Solidago usually goes by the common name of goldenrod.
Plant Category: Goldenrod is a perennial plant that grows back year after year.
Bloom Time and Color: Goldenrod add color and excitement to the late summer garden with bright yellow flowers.
Foliage: The foliage of the goldenrod plants can vary with some having medium sized, lance-shaped leaves and others having smaller, oval shaped leaves.
Growth Habit: Most goldenrods have an upright, bushy growth habit and a few taller varieties may need staking unless they are trimmed back in late spring.
Dimensions: Goldenrods grow anywhere from 1 foot to 5 foot tall depending on the cultivar.
Maintenance: Goldenrod needs little care throughout the year, however if the gardener wants more full and bushy growth, or doesn't want to stake taller varieties, they may pinch back the growing tips late in the spring. This will encourage an even more dramatic show come late summer, early autumn.
Pests or Diseases: Goldenrod is a hardy, native plant with few pest or disease problems. Rust fungal disease can mar the foliage when plants are overcrowded and over watering can cause root rot so well-drained soil is a must.
Propagation Methods: Goldenrods will often reseed themselves so gardeners can be prepared for volunteer seedlings to transplant or give away. Solidagos grow easily from seed sown in the fall, as the seeds need a cold treatment to germinate properly. Well established plants can be divided and shared every 2 to 3 years.
Using Solidago in Garden Landscapes
Preferred Conditions: Goldenrod prefers full sun conditions and medium rich, well-drained soil that receives average water. However, the plants are fairly drought tolerant and will perform well even in drier conditions and poor soil, making them suitable for container plantings.
Companion Plants: Landscapers who want to create a late summer showpiece garden can grow goldenrod alongside asters, garden mums, ornamental grasses, and purple coneflowers.
Seasons of Interest: Goldenrod foliage appears in the spring and can have a pleasing, bushy growth habit when pinched back in late spring. The highlight of the season comes in late summer to early fall when the bright, firework like sprays of flowers brighten the fading garden with vibrant color.
Uses in the Garden: Goldenrod is a fantastic plant for the butterfly garden since the gold flowers are highly attractive to butterflies. The flower spikes make great cut flowers, and also dry well when hung upside down for winter indoor flower arrangements. Solidago also is suitable for use in native wildflower gardens.
Varieties and Cultivars of Goldenrod Plants
- Sweet Goldenrod (Solidago odora) - Zones 4-9Sweet goldenrod is a fragrant cultivar with anise-scented leaves and is used historically as an herbal tea.
- Canada Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) - Zones 3-9 Canada goldenrod is a compact native plant that is a primary food source for Monarch butterflies.
- Showy Goldenrod (Solidago speciosa) - Zones 3-8 As the common name suggests, this solidago has more flowers than many of the other goldenrods, making it a true stand-out in the landscape. Showy goldenrod grows about 4 feet tall.
Goldenrod and asters are in the same family so both are useful for late summer and fall blooming gardens.
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