Solidago altissima
(Tall Goldenrod)

Other pictures of this plant:


               Seedpod                                           Leaf                                            Stem                                        Seed                                          Habit

Facts About this Plant:

    Common Names: Tall Goldenrod, Canada Goldenrod, Canadian Goldenrod, Late Goldenrod, Rough Goldenrod
    Synonyms: Solidago hirsutissima, Solidago lunellii
    Lifespan: Perennial
    Zones: 3 - 10
    Type: Forb
    Bloom Time: August - October
    Status: Native
    Range:

Solidago altissima, or Tall Goldenrod, is native to the entire United States, except the Pacific Northwest. It grows in open prairies, fields, meadows, along roads and railroads, along shores and along woodlands. It blooms in late summer and fall, with small golden flowers on stalks.

There are over 100 species of Solidago in the United States, and they can be very difficult to tell apart. Solidago altissima is one of the more difficult species to distinguish, as there are several that look just like it. Solidago altissima can be distinguished by the presence of galls on its stems, which it frequently has, and also by a fuzziness on the underside of its leaves. The species that look most like it are:
Solidago canadensis: this plant is very similar, but it has smooth undersides to its leaves between the veins, and never has stem galls
and
Solidago gigantea: this plant has glaucous - smooth, and sometimes waxy - stems on the lower plant, and its leaves are much more toothed than the other two species.


You can also access our Solidago ID chart which shows various images of over twenty species to help with ID.

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