field goldenrod
Solidago nemoralis
Goldenrod is frequently scapegoated for hay fever, but its bright yellow flowers actually indicate insect pollination; its pollen is too heavy and sticky to float in the wind.
- Scientific name
- Solidago nemoralis
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Asterales › Asteraceae › Solidago
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- grassland
- Habitat
- Dry, open fields, prairies, savannas, pastures, and disturbed roadsides with sandy or gravelly soil.
- Diet
- Autotrophic (photosynthesis, absorbing water and mineral nutrients from the soil).
- Range
- United States, Canada
- Size
- 30 to 100 cm tall (1 to 3 feet).
- Lifespan
- Perennial (individual root systems can live for 5-10+ years, spreading clonally).
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat loss from intensive agriculture, urban sprawl, and woody encroachment due to fire suppression.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless and safe to approach. While often falsely blamed for seasonal allergies (which are actually caused by wind-pollinated ragweed), goldenrod pollen is heavy and sticky, not airborne. Admire from any distance. If you have sensitive skin, avoid rubbing the leaves to prevent rare, mild contact irritation.
Solidago nemoralis is a species of flowering plant in the aster family, Asteraceae. It is native to North America, where it is widely found in Canada (every province except Newfoundland and Labrador) and the United States (all states wholly or partially east of the Rocky Mountains). Its common names include gray goldenrod , gray-stem goldenrod , old-field goldenrod , field goldenrod , prairie goldenrod , dwarf goldenrod , and dyersweed goldenrod .
Photo: Douglas Goldman, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist
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