Goldenrods, or members of the genus Solidago, are a truly essential part of our native landscapes, and suffer from some common misconceptions. This week, we’ll look at why goldenrod is so important, clear up those myths, and check out some common species you can cultivate – to help native pollinators, and for your own enjoyment!
First of all, about that pesky myth: that goldenrod pollen causes allergies.
In fact, the plant primarily responsible for those seasonal allergies, sometimes called hay fever, is ragweed. Ragweed is pollinated by wind rather than insects, so it has tiny inconspicuous flowers that produce copious amounts of extremely fine pollen, which then drifts through the air in hopes of landing on other ragweed flowers – irritating the respiratory systems of unfortunate humans along the way. Goldenrod, on the other hand, is pollinated by insects, so it produces heavy, sticky pollen to attract and nourish them. The insects pick up some of the pollen when they visit to eat it or drink the flower’s nectar, and then transport it to the next flower they stop at – hopefully another goldenrod plant. This pollen never becomes airborne (unless perhaps you bump into or shake the plant, in which case some might fall to the ground), and therefore does not cause allergies.
How did this get mixed up? While the two plants look very little alike, it probably stems from the fact that they bloom around the same time. Since people don’t notice the flowers of ragweed, they probably see the shaggy, bright yellow (pollen-colored) blooms of goldenrod, and assume that it must be the source of their suffering – then spread this mistaken assumption around. This unfortunately discourages some people from cultivating goldenrod.
Goldenrod is an extremely valuable plant to pollinators and other insects. It is a keystone species in many North American ecosystems – meaning so many other species depend on it that if it was removed the entire system would change drastically. In goldenrod’s case, this is mostly because so many things like to eat it: around 130 species of lepidopterans (butterflies and moths) use it to host their larvae, just in our area! Plants in the Solidago genus are the only host for many of those species. These butterflies and moths are not only pretty, and important pollinators themselves, but both larvae and adults are also crucial food sources for many species of birds, especially for parents trying to feed their young.
A few of the species that solely rely on goldenrod are the Asteroid Moth or Goldenrod Hooded Owlet (Cucullia asteroides), the Diamond Spot Pearl or Beet Webworm (Loxostege sticticalis), the Bilobed Dichomeris Moth (Dichomeris bilobella), and the Confused Eusarca (Eusarca confusaria).
Aside from hosting the larvae of so many insects, one of the most important roles goldenrod plays is providing abundant nectar and pollen to feed pollinators in the late summer and fall. When many other flowers are slowing down and ending their blooming season, goldenrod fills in as a primary food source for these insects and other animals. This is especially crucial to migratory butterflies like Monarchs, which rely on this plentiful, easy-to-find nectar during their flight south in the fall.
Goldenrod has some additional uses to humans. It was used by Native Americans for a variety of medicinal purposes, and is still a fairly popular herbal remedy. For this purpose, it’s typically prepared as a tea or tincture using the leaves and flowers, and sometimes other ways for topical applications. The genus name Solidago is even derived from Latin words meaning “to make whole” in reference to these plants’ medicinal value. It has diuretic properties, and is claimed to help with inflammation and congestion, though there is insufficient modern research on it to be certain of its effects.
Some of the most common wild goldenrods here in the North Country are S. altissima or tall goldenrod, S. gigantea, or giant goldenrod, and S. canadensis, or canadian goldenrod.
While I have called each of them here by the common name that most matches the meaning of their scientific species name, they are in fact so similar that they often share those names as well as a few others. They all grow in a wide range of sites and soil conditions, from sunny fields to open woodlands, roadsides to creeksides, and sand to clay. All three species can reach up to 6 feet tall, depending on the moisture level and fertility of the soil.
There is also Solidago nemoralis, commonly known as gray goldenrod or prairie goldenrod – it’s quite similar to the first three, except it only grows to about half their height, usually 1 ½ to 3 feet. Individual plants may bloom at different times, extending the overall blooming season as long as from June through October. It tends to do best in dry locations such as forest edges and successional fields where other vegetation is sparse and not too tall.
Another important species here is bog goldenrod, Solidago uliginosa, which typically grows its flowers in a narrow, conical, upright spike. It prefers medium to wet soil and full sun, though it can tolerate a little shade; a naturally boggy location provides it with ideal conditions. It blooms late, from August to October.
A couple of other interesting species to consider are Solidago macrophylla or large-leaved goldenrod, which has broader leaves and fewer, larger individual flowers than the other species, and can be found in cool, undisturbed forest clearings; and S. flexicaulis or zigzag goldenrod, whose tiny flowers grow at intervals directly from a distinctive, slightly zig-zagging stem.
Most goldenrod species are rhizomatous herbaceous perennials, and may be cultivated by fresh or stratified seeds, or root divisions. It will reseed naturally and the seeds are spread by wind. Once established, goldenrod may spread rather aggressively from the roots – some sources recommend managing this by digging up and dividing it every few years, while others suggest creating a patch that can easily be contained by mowing around it or hand pulling stems that come up out-of-bounds. Most goldenrods are highly tolerant of a wide range of conditions, including poor, dry soil, and prefer full sun; with a few exceptions as discussed above. Whatever your goals – whether you want to add a key species that will establish itself in a restored landscape, or a more contained splash of native color in a garden – there is a goldenrod out there for you!
Resources:
- Solidago (Goldenrod, Golden Rod) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
- Goldenrod: A Pollinator Powerhouse for Your Garden – Native Plant Connection
- Native Goldenrods – A Beginner’s Guide – The Plant Native
Native Range data & some general info:
- Species Comparison – NYFA: New York Flora Atlas
- USDA Plants Database Basic Search Results for “solidago”, filtered for New York State
Pollinators & other info:
- Plant Information – Native Plants Finder
- Monarch Butterfly Migration and Overwintering
- What is a keystone species? – The Plant Native
Amalia Kanitz grew up on a small farm in De Kalb NY and is currently a rising sophomore at St. Lawrence University. She was involved in 4-H for many years, and participated in horticultural knowledge competitions up to the national level. This summer, she is the SLU Public Interest Corps Garden-to-Table intern at CCE, helping with the Master Gardener Volunteer and Master Food Preserver programs. Amalia enjoys making visual art and music, learning about native plants and foraging, and appreciating the little things in nature.
