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Written by Debbie C., Somerset County Rutgers Master Gardener
Solidago species, commonly known as goldenrod, signal the changing of seasons from summer to autumn. A short-day, herbaceous, perennial in the Composite or Asteraceae family, different Solidago species bloom from July through October. Often challenging as a group to identify down to species, the golden yellow inflorescences consist of ray and disc flowers. One process, the Peterson Identification System, attempts to simplify the task by grouping flower forms as wand-like, plume-like, club-like, elm branched or flat topped.
Goldenrod grows from rhizomes, and some species can be aggressive, forming colonies. Native bees, honeybees, wasps, butterflies, moths, and beetles consume the pollen and nectar and act as insect pollinators of Solidago sp., spreading the heavy, sticky pollen. Nectar produced by goldenrod very often provides one of the final food sources for migratory butterflies. The plant also attracts predatory insects such as parasitoid tachinid flies which specialize in attacking squash and stink bugs. Parasitoid flies lay eggs on goldenrod growing points. The hatchling larva penetrate the stems which produce galls in response. Small galls in turn attract parasitoid wasps and beetles to insert their eggs, producing larva which feed on the original occupant larva. Larger galls are preferred by birds such as chickadees and small woodpeckers in the Spring. Additionally, goldenrod seeds feed some birds.
The Native Plant Society of New Jersey lists eleven species of Solidago as native to Somerset County, including the only white variety, Solidago bicolor. Depending on the species, goldenrod can be found in woodlands, openings, edges including roadsides, old pasture, and moist open thickets. Goldenrods are deer resistant. Incorrectly blamed for allergies this time of year, goldenrod blooms concurrently with another Composite family member: wind-pollinated, green-flowered, hay fever-producing ragweed. Historically, goldenrod found use in herbal medicine, dyes and in “Liberty Tea” made by colonists after the Boston Tea Party and the boycotting of British tea.
Fun fact – Goldenrod was first used as a yellow color name in 1915 and the Crayola Company coined it as a crayon color in 1958 in the 64-crayon box.
For more information about Solidago sp. and other native plants of New Jersey, or incorporating them into your home landscape, see the following links:
Rutgers Fact Sheet 1140: Incorporating Native Plants in Your Residential Landscape
Landscape Plants Rated by Deer Resistance
