Solidago/Goldenrod

There are about 150 different Goldenrods, most of them native to the prairies, river banks, and mountains of North America. They've also spread widely throughout Europe, especially along roadsides and in vacant lots.  They're good for a brief back-of-the-border splash of gold in mid or late summer, though hybrids are now available in short or medium heights and with longer flowering periods.  Not as allergy-provoking as is commonly believed.

Newer hybrids especially make excellent, long-lasting cut flowers, especially in mixed arrangements.  They dry well, too.

Details

• Typically 5' or more tall, some varieties are more compact.
• Clumping or spread by rhizomes.
• Best in full sun.
• Hardy in Zones 2-8, depending on the variety.
• Flowers July-October, especially the hybrids.

Care

• Foliage can be affected by mildew, which is best "treated" by siting the plants at the back of the border where the foliage won't show.
• Division every 3-4 years will help maintain plant vigor and blooms, while reducing mildew infestation.
• Taller variety have better form if they're cut back by half in early June.
• They're quite drought-tolerant.
• Avoid fertilizers, which produce excessive growth that flops.

Good Information in Print

• The Well Tended Perennial Garden by Tracy DiSabato-Aust is the best-selling book on how to make your perennials healthier and better-looking.
• Encyclopedia of Perennials by Graham Rice is exhaustive and an outstanding general resource on the subject.
• The Complete Flower Gardener by Cutler and Ellis is another source I consult regularly.

 

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