Solidago altissima (Fr: verge d'or haute | En: tall goldenrod)

Description:

I find Solidago altissima to be the quintessential goldenrod in our region, the goldenrod one thinks of , when one imagines goldenrod. 

It reliably produces gorgeous late summer and early fall flowers that support an immense amount of pollinator and insect diversity later, its seeds are also eaten by many of our native song birds, especially during winter.

It is perfect for transforming a space of yard into a tall meadow in short time. It spreads fast through root tubers and can cover a large area after only a few years.Its an excellent to choice if you have space to cover. Despite it being well known for its aggressiveness, I find it plays well in the garden when planted with similarly tall native flowers and grasses.

Despite this strong spreading ability, it is also not terribly difficult to control and it will not survive repeated mowings/cuttings if you want to limit its spread. 

I highly recommend this species to all those wanting to try native plant gardening.

Habitat: clearings, meadows, prairies, road sides, early succession farmland

Sun requirements: full sun

Moisture requirements: drought tolerant once established

Soil requirements: tolerant of many conditions