Sweet Goldenrod - Solidago odora var. odora

Sweet or Anise-scented goldenrod (Solidago odora var. odora) is an extremely widespread species with wonderful fragrant foliage.  It occurs throughout much of the eastern half of the U.S. in upland habitats, but in Florida, it is confined almost exclusively to the panhandle.  It is essentially the northern version of Chapman's goldenrod (S. odora var. chapmanii) that I have discussed previously.

In terms of habitat requirements, ecology, and landscape potential, sweet goldenrod is virtually identical to Chapman's goldenrod and I will not repeat myself here in this blog.  They are both widely occurring in open upland habitats and they play similar roles in the landscape.  Though sweet goldenrod's leaves are often more linear than Chapman's goldenrod, the major difference lies in the fragrance of the foliage.  As its common name suggests, sweet goldenrod has highly aromatic foliage owing to the essential oils in its leaves.  This fragrance is quite noticeable when the leaves are crushed and they can be very successfully used in herbal teas and potpouris. 

This is a wonderful goldenrod for home landscapes, but it is only recommended for north Florida.  Success further south is unlikely and Chapman's goldenrod should be used instead.  Because of its limited range in Florida, sweet goldenrod is rarely offered by Florida nurseries, but it is widely propagated in states to our immediate north.

The photos above do not give this species justice.  They were taken of a plant in our Pinellas County landscape that we have attempted to push a bit.  Judging from the plant's condition, it is not welcoming our attempt to make it live this far south. I just couldn't resist having access to the wonderful foliage....

Chapman's goldenrod - Solidago odora var. chapmanii

Chapman's goldenrod (Solidago odora var. chapmanii) is the southern version of a widely occurring goldenrod known for its highly aromatic foliage, (S. odora var. odora).  Unlike its more northern relative however, Chapman's goldenrod has only faint fragrance and is poorly suited to making such things as herbal teas.

Chapman's goldenrod is found throughout the peninsula and is scattered also in a few panhandle counties.  It is a near endemic as it is found outside Florida only in a few counties in Georgia.  It is a frequent component of mesic to more xeric pinelands and open habitats throughout its range.  I encounter it nearly everywhere I hike in upland settings.

This is a medium-sized member of the genus and generally extremely well behaved in the landscape. Like nearly all members of the genus, it is deciduous and makes its appearance known in early spring.  Its elliptical foliage often goes unnoticed until it begins to send its flower stalk upward in early summer.  This is one of the earliest goldenrods to bloom, so it reaches its mature height of 3-4 feet by about July.  If you notice flowering goldenrods in Florida in July and August, they are most certainly Solidago odora. 

Flowering occurs throughout mid to late summer and is often done about the time most other species in Florida begin.  The heads are irregular to rather "formal" pannicles with many side shoots forming near the top that can go off at right angles to the main stem. The heads are not particularly dense, but they are attractive.

We have grown this species in our landscape at Hawthorn Hill for many years and find it to be a wonderful addition to a mixed wildflower bed.  Chapman's goldenrod suckers, but very unobtrusively.  Stems appear widely scattered over time so it mixes throughout the bed; not forming dense monocultures as some do.  Its moderate size also makes it blend well with many other wildflowers. Chapman's goldenrod is not fussy about growing condtions, but it will not perform well if given too much moisture.  Otherwise, it is a very easy species to maintain.

Chapman's goldenrod is one of the goldenrods nearly always available from nurseries affiliated with FANN- the Florida Association of Native Nurseries. You may have to search a bit, but its excellent landscape qualities make the time well spent.

Solidago stricta - Wand Goldenrod

Wand goldenrod (Solidago stricta) is another unique species that is relatively easy to identify. Found statewide in Florida in a variety of mesic upland settings and in much of the Southeastern Coastal Plain states, wand goldenrod is difficult to notice until it sends its slender flower stalk upward in late summer.  This is a deciduous species. In the spring, it produces a rosette of thin, lanceolate leaves which tend to blend in with the grasses and other wildflowers it occurs with.  A single slender flower stalk emerges from this cluster of basal leaves in late summer to early fall.  By late fall, it may reach 3 feet in height and the bright yellow flowers open.

Wand goldenrod almost looks like a yellow blazing star (Liatris spp.) when in bloom.  The wand of blooms stays compact; rarely do side shoots emerge and give it a wider aspect.  This species does not readily sucker, but over time multiple clusters of basal leaves form and each produces a flower stalk.

This is one of the very best goldenrods for the home landscape, yet it is not widely propagated at this time.  Because it does not aggressively sucker or get overwhelming in size, it mixes extremely well in a wildflower garden. Its bright blooms provide color and are magnets for pollinating insects. It also is very undemanding in the types of growing conditions it needs.  Wand goldenrod will adapt to nearly any landscape condition normally encountered in a residential setting.  Don't plant it in inundated soils or the driest xeric sands, and it will prosper. As interest in goldenrods for home landscapes increases due to their color and their exceptional value to pollinators, I suspect this will be one species that becomes much more widely available.

Solidago tortifolia - Twistedleaf goldenrod

Twistedleaf goldenrod (Solidago tortifolia) is yet another large and often dominating species within this genus. It is a common species in open fields and woodlands across most of Florida and in much of the Southeast from Texas to Virginia. 

This species is deciduous, but grows rapidly through the summer to reach a mature height of 6-8 feet by fall.  In Pinellas County, it blooms in mid-September into October, just a bit ahead of the peak bloom time for pinebarren goldenrod (S. fistulosa), another large goldenrod sometimes confused with this species.

Unique to this goldenrod is its twisted leaves.  Each is willowlike and most have a half twist that is quite distinctive. The leaves going up the stem also remain nearly the same size as the lower leaves.

The flowers occur on arching stems near the tip of the plants.  These are arranged in open panicles like many other species, but they are not as uniformly arranged as in pinebarren goldenrod and the side stems often fall away from the main stem and are nearly horizontal to the ground surface below.  This makes the overall infloresences irregular and a bit more open than most.

Twistedleaf goldenrod is somewhat "weedy" in nature and is a difficult species to maintain in small landscapes.  It suckers extensively and becomes quite dominant when planted with other species.  In expansive settings, however, it can be striking with its large yellow inflorescences and its interesting foliage.  It is only very infrequently offered by native plant nurseries in Florida  and may be difficult to locate.  We have grown it at Hawthorn Hill, but do not plan to offer it commercially. 

Solidago fistulosa - Pinebarren goldenrod

Pinebarren goldenrod (Solidago fistulosa) is another exceptionally widespread Florida species; found statewide in a variety of upland habitats.  It is a species primarily of the Southeast Coastal Plain, however, and follows the curve of North America from Louisiana to New Jersey. 

As its common name suggests, pinebarren goldenrod is a common component of pine flatwoods and open pine forests.  I find it most commonly in mesic conditions; not areas that are the most well-drained.  It is deciduous. Growth occurs in very early spring and individual stems eventually reach a mature height of 4-6 feet (rarely a bit taller) by its fall blooming season.  Like seaside goldenrod (S. sempervirens), the leaves are lance-shaped and remain fairly large going up the stem.  These leaves, however, are slightly toothed and the stems are slightly "hairy."  It also differs in that it produces large numbers of rhizomes and suckers quite aggressively in all directions.  For this reason, pinebarren goldenrod often occurs in dense patches; almost as monocultures, when it is in an area that provides ideal growing conditions.

Pinebarren goldenrod produces large open panicles of bright yellow flowers in fall.  In my region of the state, it normally starts blooming in October and continues into November.  These panicles are rather "regular", not overly arching and definitely not lop-sided off the main stem. 

This is an extremely attractive species that is quite easy to grow, but consideration must be given to its aggressive nature.  It performs best in expansive landscapes where its dense stems can serve to screen adjacent views or structures.  It is a very poor choice for small landscaped areas or in situations where a wide diversity of wildflowers is desired.

Pinebarren goldenrod is frequently propagated by members of FANN - the Florida Association of Native Nurseries, and can usually be located for home landscapes. 

Solidago sempervirens - Seaside goldenrod

Seaside goldenrod (Solidago sempervirens) is perhaps the most distinctive species among Florida's goldenrods.  Found throughout much of Florida, but primarily within our coastal counties, this species is both robust and evergreen.  Though its common name suggests it to be "seaside", it also is resident to most states and provinces in the eastern half of North America.

As its Latin name indicates, seaside goldenrod is not entirely deciduous like other Florida species.  Over winter, it maintains its large strap-like leaves.  Then, in early spring, it begins its upward growth.  This occurs throughout the summer and early fall.  By its late fall blooming season, seaside goldenrod may stand 8 feet tall. 

The foliage also stays rather robust up the stem to the flower head.  The leaves are thick and elliptical, with few teeth along the margin.  Like all goldenrods, it forms multi-stemmed colonies over time, but it does not produce underground rhizomes that would allow it to aggressively sucker as some.  It also spreads easily from seed and new plants are likely to arise almost anywhere from plants not deadheaded and allowed to shed their cottony seed.

Seaside goldenrod blooms most abundantly in late fall.  The flower heads are held somewhat upright as spires; not at all angles like some that also arch over.  These bright golden heads of flowers attract a wide assortment of pollinators - as all goldenrods do. Its just that their sheer numbers make this species especially good for migrating monarch butterflies and a great many bees.

Seaside goldenrod is widely propagated for home landscapes and restoration projects by nurseries affiliated with FANN - the Florida Association of Native Nurseries.  It makes a stunning landscape addition, but I believe it looks best when planted in mass and in expansive settings.  Its very large size and tendency to spread make it a poor choice in small areas or areas not confined well by concrete.

Goldenrods - Solidago spp.

There is no better harbinger of fall than goldenrods (Solidago spp.). Their bright yellow blooms can be spectacular and their generally robust nature makes them stand out wherever they occur.  These blooms are excellent nectar sources for pollinating insects.  No garden should be without at least some goldenrods for the bees and butterflies.
Florida has 19 unique species (plus two distinct varieties of one species, Solidago odora), and one species or another can be found in pretty much every habitat type throughout the state.  The problem with this diversity is that the individual species are often difficult for the average person to identify.  Most all of us are simply content to know its a goldenrod and leave it at that.  But, eventually the underlying urge to accurately name it rears its ugly head.
In the next series of posts (and over the next couple of weeks), I will attempt making them a bit easier.  Identifying individual species requires you to look at the whole picture.  It is not enough to simply look at part of it.  Often it's a combination of key characteristices that will enable you to know for certain which species you are looking at.  The most important things to notice are:
1. Habitat - Where is it growing?  Different species tend to be most often encountered in distinct habitat types. Knowing which species are most likely to be encountered where will often limit the number of species you have to sort out.
2. Blooming Season - Though most species bloom in the "fall", even that is protracted over several months.  Some goldenrods, like S. odora, are most likely to flower in the summer and some fall blooming species are most likely to bloom in early fall while others flower most commonly very late in the season. If you watch goldenrods, you may notice that there is a progression of bloom times among them.
3. Leaf Shape - Though there is always some variation within species, most goldenrods have fairly distinctive foliage.  I will try to post good photos of each of the species I have good photos of.  What is difficult to show well is the relative size of the leaves to each other.
4. Shape of the Flower Head - While many goldenrods have a loose panicle of blooms that fall away from the main stem in all directions, many others are very distinctive.  Even the "loose panicle" types are different and could be told from each other if the species were side by side...  Of course, that doesn't happen much in nature, but after some practice you will get an eye for telling them apart this way.
5. Degree of  Suckering - All goldenrods sucker.  Their root systems send rhizomes out from the main plant and these produce more stems, but not every species suckers aggressively.  Some, like the pinebarren goldenrod (S. fistulosa) (photo below shows extensive suckers of this species), produce so many suckers that they soon develop an almost monoculture of stems in well-defined patches.  Others, like Chapman's goldenrod (S. odora var. chapmanii), send far fewer suckers out and individuals are often fairly widely spaced in the landscape.
6. Relative Height - Some goldenrods, like seaside goldenrod (S. sempervirens) are giants and can reach heights well over 6 feet, while others, like wand goldenrod (S. stricta) are diminutive in comparison; standing only about 2-3 feet with their flower stalk.  Knowing the extremes and which ones fall in the middle can often help narrow the field down when trying to make an identification.

Very few of our many goldenrods are widely propagated for the home landscape, but there is some evidence that this is changing as the public comes to understand the genus a bit better and looks for some of the better species for landscape settings.  So - stayed tuned for my future posts on the individual speces - and start to look for them as our summer turns to fall and winter.