Giant Goldenrod

Solidago gigantea

Giant Goldenrod

Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Asteraceae
Genus:
Solidago
Species:
Solidago gigantea

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Forb/herb
Height:
6-8 ft
Light Requirements:
Part Shade
Drought Tolerance:
Low
Bloom Months:
aug, sep, oct
Bloom Colors:
Yellow

Native Range

United States: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming, Canada: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Northwest Territories, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:
★★☆☆☆ Based on number of butterfly and moth species using this genus as host plant (Source: National Wildlife Federation)
Bee Keystone:
★☆☆☆☆ Based on number of native bee species using this genus for pollen and nectar (Source: National Wildlife Federation)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Cremastobombycia solidaginis, Goldenrod Gall Moth (Epiblema scudderiana), goldenrod gall moth (Gnorimoschema gallaesolidaginis)

Reported Fauna Sightings

Bees: Common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens), Common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens), Half-black bumble bee (Bombus vagans), Half-black bumble bee (Bombus vagans), Southern plains bumble bee (Bombus fraternus), Southern plains bumble bee (Bombus fraternus), Tri-colored bumble bee (Bombus ternarius), Tri-colored bumble bee (Bombus ternarius), Two-spotted bumble bee (Bombus bimaculatus), Two-spotted bumble bee (Bombus bimaculatus)

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
moist, fertile, well-drained loam
pH:
5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Drainage:
tolerates poor drainage
Moisture:
consistently moist
Notes:
Commonly found in wetlands and along stream banks

Germination Information

Pre-treatment: Cold-moist stratification for 30 days at 1–5°C (34–41°F).

Source: OpenAI GPT-4o