Other pictures of this plant:

Facts About this Plant:

Solidago rigida, or Stiff Goldenrod, is native to the eastern two thirds of the US, where it is rare in the east and most prominent in the central US. It grows in dry fields, prairies and meadows and along roadsides. It blooms in late summer and fall, with golden flowers with larger petals than most.

There are over 100 species of Solidago in the United States, and they can be very difficult to tell apart. There are a group of six species that are referred to as "flat topped goldenrods". They have been broken off by some into a separate genus known as Oligoneuron. Many authorities still include them in Solidago, and we do, also. But, these species do have flowers whose flower stems all come out of a similar spot on the stem and form a flat top at the top of each stalk.

The following are members of this group:
Solidago houghtonii ("Oligoneuron houghtonii"): a very rare species known only from a few counties in Northern Michigan. More information on this species later.
Solidago nitida ("Oligoneuron nitidum"): a species known only from the Ark-La-Tex. More information on this species later.
Solidago ohioensis ("Oligoneuron ohioense"): a species with smooth-ish leaves, and no conspicuous fold in the midvein of the leaf, and has little to no arching of the leaves.
Oligoneuron album ("Solidago ptarmicoides"): the easiest to distinguish, it has large white flowers - an oddity among "golden" rods; it also has leaves that are thinner where they come out from the stem and get larger as they go up, often they have a rough texture.
Solidago riddellii ("Oligoneuron riddellii"): a species with a conspicuous fold at the midvein of the leaf, as well as an arching nature to the leaves, especially the longer leaves.
Solidago rigida ("Oligoneuron rigidum"): can be distinguished by its flowers with large petals, its large basal leaves, and the rough texture of its leaves and stems.

More information and comparison photos will be posted at a later time, showing similar species.

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

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