Goldenrod (10)

Goldenrods, the Solidago genus, are differentiated by their tiny yellow flowers growing in clusters usually on one side of the stem or in a pyramid. See also Parry's Goldenrod and Western Goldentop.

	Tall Goldenrod Solidago altissima Family: Sunflower (Asteraceae) AKA: Late Goldenrod, Canada Goldenrod Photo taken on: July 28, 2021 Location: Abiquiu, NM Life Zones: Plains to montane Habitat: Disturbed areas, open sites Grows erect to 6 feet tall in colonies with leafy stems. Leaves are up to 7" long, thick and firm with 2 strong veins parallel to the mid-rib, and a few shallow teeth. Flower heads are a showy, branching cluster of flower stalks making a pyramid shape. Flowers grow on one side of the stalk. A single plant can have over 1,000 flowers. Flora of North America reference.
	Sticky Goldenrod Solidago glutinosa (S. spathulata var. nana, S simplex var. simplex) Family: Sunflower (Asteraceae) AKA: Alpine Goldenrod, Western Sticky Goldenrod Photo taken on: July 20, 2021 Location: Pioneer Trail, GV, CO Life Zones: Montane to alpine Habitat: Rocky meadows Grows from 2" to 18" high dependent on soil, moisture and elevation. Leaves are smooth, slightly spoon-shaped with rounded teeth at the tips of lower leaves. Flowers grow in clusters around the stem unlike other Goldenrods. Flower heads have less than 12 ray flowers compared to the similar Rocky Mountain Goldenrod, and have shiny, uneven bracts. Flora of North America reference.
	Rocky Mountains Goldenrod Solidago lepida var. salebrosa Family: Sunflower (Asteraceae) AKA: Western Canada Goldenrod Photo taken on: August 5, 2022 Location: Roaring Judy Fish Hatchery, GV, CO Life Zones: Plains to montane Habitat: Sandy and gravelly soils, along streams and rivers Grows to 5 feet tall in colonies with leafy stems. Leaves have shallow teeth but are not hairy and up to 5" long with 2 veins parallel to the mid-rib. Flower heads are a showy, branching cluster of flower stalks making a pyramid shape. Flowers grow on one side of the stalk. Differentiated from S. altissima by the hairiness of the leaves. Flora of North America reference.
	Missouri Goldenrod Solidago missouriensis Family: Sunflower (Asteraceae) AKA: Prairie Goldenrod Photo taken on: July 29, 2004 Location: Almont, CO Life Zones: Plains to montane Habitat: Roadsides, grasslands, open woods Grows 12" to 32" high in colonies with upright basal leaves. Leaves are hairless with a prominent central vein and two parallel veins. Flower heads arch. Blooms earlier than other Goldenrods in the same environment. Flora of North America reference.
	Rocky Mountain Goldenrod Solidago multiradiata Family: Sunflower (Asteraceae) AKA: Northern Goldenrod, Mountain Goldenrod Photo taken on: July 20, 2006 Location: Upper Upper Loop, GV, CO (9,000ft) Life Zones: Montane to alpine Habitat: Meadows, slopes Grows from a few inches high on the tundra, as shown below, to 18" at lower elevations, as shown at left. Grows in small patches with a reddish stem and mostly basal leaves. Flower clusters grow around the stem compared to other Goldenrods. Lower leaves have stalks with hairy margins. Flower heads have more than 12 ray flowers compared to Sticky Goldenrod.
	Photo taken on: July 16, 2006 Location: Green Lake above Irwin, GV, CO (11,600ft) There seems to be disagreement between floras about the classification of this species and Solidago glutinosa. I have been guided by SWColoradoWildflowers and the University of Waterloo in my identification. Flora of North America reference.
	Rough Goldenrod Solidago nana Family: Sunflower (Asteraceae) AKA: Low Goldenrod, Dwarf Goldenrod, Baby Goldenrod Photo taken on: August 09, 2009 Location: Wet Mountains, Eastern CO Life Zones: Foothills to montane Habitat: Dry areas, roadsides Grows to 20" with leafy, hairy stems. Flowers are in a pyramid shaped cluster. Leaves are rough and hairy. Flora of North America reference.
	Gray Goldenrod Solidago nemoralis Family: Sunflower (Asteraceae) AKA: Old-field Goldenrod, Prairie Goldenrod Photo taken on: October 10, 2011 Location: Burnt Mesa, NM Life Zones: Foothills Habitat: Dry areas, hillsides Grows to 2 feet with an un-branched stem. The stem is reddish, covered with short white hairs and has small leaflets at the base of the stem leaves. The basal leaves are oblong and taper to a stalk-like base. Flora of North America reference.
	Pale Showy Goldenrod Solidago speciosa subsp. pallida Family: Sunflower (Asteraceae) AKA: Photo taken on: September 1, 2009 Location: Quemazon Trail, Los Alamos, NM Life Zones: Plains to foothills Habitat: Dry areas, hillsides, juniper-pinyon woods Grows to less than 3 feet tall with an erect, un-branched, reddish stem. The flower heads are tall and dense, not drooping or arched like most Goldenrods. Leaves are pale green. Flora of North America reference.
	Three-nerve Goldenrod Solidago velutina var. sparsiflora (S. sparsiflora) Family: Sunflower (Asteraceae) AKA: Few-Flowered Goldenrod, Sparse Goldenrod, Velvety Goldenrod Photo taken on: July 20, 2021 Location: Almont, CO Life Zones: Plains to montane Habitat: Moist areas, hillsides, meadows, openings Grows 6" to 32" high in colonies from a basal rosette of leaves that are sometimes still present at flowering time. The leaves get progressively smaller higher up on the stem. Each leaf has three prominent veins running from the base to near the tip.
	Flowers grow on one side of the branch and have 6 to 12 petals. Flower heads can be pyramid-shaped with many branches or have only one arching branch. Photo taken on: July 28, 2014 Location: Rio Chama, Abiquiu, NM Flora of North America reference.
	Wright's Goldenrod Solidago wrightii Family: Sunflower (Asteraceae) AKA: Photo taken on: September 1, 2009 Location: Quemazon Trail, Los Alamos, NM Life Zones: Plains to foothills Habitat: Dry areas, hillsides, juniper-pinyon woods Grows to 3 feet tall with multiple stems growing from the base. Leaves are broader than other Goldenrods. Flora of North America reference.

Yellow Long Clusters