Minnesota Wildflowers


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Solidago speciosa (Showy Goldenrod)

Plant Info
Also known as:
Genus:Solidago
Family:Asteraceae (Aster)
Life cycle:perennial
Origin:native
Habitat:sun; dry fields, prairies, edges of woods
Bloom season:July - October
Plant height:1 to 5 feet
USDA PLANTS database:Minnesota county distribution map
Spotted in Ramsey County at:

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Detailed Information

Flower: 7+petals spike

[photo of flower] Erect spike cluster up to 12 inches long of ¼-inch yellow flowers. Individual flowers have 4 to 10 irregularly spaced petals; not all may be open at the same time. The cluster tends to be densely packed and is conical or cylindrical in shape.

Leaves and stem: alternate simple

[photo of leaves] Leaves are up to 6 inches long and 1½ inches wide, pointed at the tip and tapering to narrow “wings” at the base. There is a prominent vein down the center. Leaves are hairless with smooth edges, alternately attached. Their size gradually decreases as they ascend the main stem.

[photo of leaf axis] Small leaves develop in the leaf axils in the upper part of the stem. The stems are hairless and may be green or reddish.

Notes:

The spikes of most goldenrods tend to hang down or droop. Showy Goldenrod stays erect, or curves upward. They tend to grow in clumps.

Where to buy native seed and plants

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  • Shop for native seeds and plants at PrairieMoon.com!

Map of native plant purveyors in the upper midwest

More photos

All photos taken at Long Lake Regional Park, New Brighton, MN September 2006.

Comments

Have you seen this plant in Minnesota, or have any other comments about it?

Posted by: Roger in Rice Creek Trail (north of Co.
on: 2009-09-03 15:44:02

Found this plant yesterday but couldn't find it in my "Wildflowrs of Minnesota Field Guide". So, I turned to your website and, of course, there it was. Thanks for the resource.

Posted by: Letecia in Rochester, MN
on: 2010-08-13 13:29:29

I saw these along the edge of a prairie in SW Rochester. They were really beautiful amidst the purple coneflowers and coreopsis. Butterflies galore! Thanks for the reference. You are on my favorites list!

Posted by: Patsy in St. Croix State Park near Hinckley, Minnesota
on: 2010-12-31 15:11:26

They are very colorful and made my day when I found them. They have become more plentiful after a prescribed burn. They have bloomed late summer into autumn. The leaves seem to turn red, when plants age.

Posted by: kevin in bloomington
on: 2011-09-26 15:37:23

These plants are very beatiful and just made my day when I saw them next to my house around bloomington.

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