Wrinkleleaf goldenrod

Wrinkleleaf goldenrod: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Upright clump about 1 m tall and 60 cm wide, with sturdy stems and arching plumes.

Foliage

Alternate, oval to lance-shaped, 5–10 cm, rough and wrinkled, with a toothed edge; dark green.

Flower

Branched, often drooping plumes with many small, bright yellow flowers, from August to October.

Seed

After flowering, downy seed fluff forms and is spread by the wind.

Roots

Fibrous with short rhizomes; the clump widens a little every year.

Flowering: August–October · Plants: March–May and September–October · Pruning: March and May

Why grow it?

• Bright yellow plumes from August to October, when many other plants have finished flowering.
• Late nectar source for bees and butterflies.
• Good as a cut and dried flower.
• Fully hardy and easy: grows in sun or half shade on loam or clay.
• Stays a tidy clump, unlike the strongly spreading Canadian goldenrod.

Wrinkleleaf goldenrod: where does it grow best?

• Sun or half shade; in full shade the plant becomes leggy and flowers little.
• Humus-rich, normal to moist soil: loam or clay, also sand if it does not dry out. Acid to neutral.
• Tolerates moist soil well, but can also cope with short dry spells.
• Allow 50–60 cm between plants; put it at the back of the border.
• Do not plant it right next to a nature reserve, as it can self-sow.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Acid or neutral

Moisture

Normal or wet

Size

1 m tall, 0.6 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -30 °C)

Goes well with

• Michaelmas daisy: Purple and blue flower in the same months and contrast strongly with the yellow.
• Japanese anemone: Pink or white flowers in the same late summer, also in half shade.
• Ornamental grasses: Light plumes that softly frame the yellow plumes.
• Coneflower: Purple flowers with spiky centres in late summer.

Wrinkleleaf goldenrod: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–May and September–October.

1. Plant in March–May or in September–October, when the soil is neither frozen nor waterlogged.
2. Work a few spadefuls of compost into the soil and lighten heavy clay with a little sand.
3. Plant at the same depth as in the pot and firm the soil well.
4. Space plants 50–60 cm apart and water thoroughly straight away.
5. Spread a layer of compost or leaf mould around the clump.

Care

Water

Water at the base in prolonged drought. A dried-out plant gets mildew more easily.

Feeding

A spadeful of compost in spring; do not overfeed, or the stems become tall and floppy.

Mulching

A layer of compost in spring keeps the soil moist and weed-free.

Support

If needed, put in a support ring or twigs in spring, especially on rich soil or in half shade.

Dividing

Divide the clump every 3–4 years in spring to rejuvenate it and keep it compact.

Tip: For a lower, sturdier plant, cut all shoots back by half at the end of May. Cut off the plumes before they release seed if you live near a nature reserve.

Wrinkleleaf goldenrod: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March and May.

When: In March cut back the old stems. If you like, at the end of May cut the shoots back by half for a lower, sturdier plant.

How:

• In March cut all dead stems down to about 10 cm above the ground.
• For a lower plant, cut all shoots back by half at the end of May; flowering is then slightly later.
• Cut off spent plumes before they set seed, or leave them as winter decoration.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Division

In March–April or September, lift the clump, divide it into pieces with roots and shoots and replant straight away.

Basal cuttings

In spring, cut young shoots 5–8 cm long from the base and set them in moist cutting compost; they root within a few weeks.

Wrinkleleaf goldenrod: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −30 °C.

• Fully hardy to about −30 °C: no protection needed in Belgium.
• The stems die back; leave them until March as winter decoration and shelter for insects.
• The only risk is wet, heavy soil in winter: ensure good drainage.

Diseases and pests

• Powdery mildew: White powder on the leaves in late summer, especially in dry weather. Water, allow space and cut off affected leaves.
• Rust: Orange-brown pustules on the underside of the leaves. Cut off affected leaves, do not compost them and water at the base.
• Aphids: On young shoots and flower buds. Rinse them off with water or let ladybirds do the work.
• Flopping stems: In strong wind or on too-rich soil. Add support or cut the shoots back at the end of May.

Through the year

• March: Cut back old stems. Plant or divide. Give compost.
• April: Plant. Watch for slugs and aphids.
• May: If you like, cut shoots back by half for a lower plant. Put in supports.
• June: Growth. Water in dry weather.
• July: Buds form. Water in dry weather.
• August: Flowering begins.
• September: Full flower. Cut flowers. Plant.
• October: Late flowers. Plant.
• November: Leave the plumes as winter decoration.
• December: Rest.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Butterflies

Nectar for butterflies.

Did you know?

• The species name rugosa means wrinkled and refers to the rough, wrinkled leaves.
• Goldenrods flower late in the season, when bees and butterflies find little other nectar.
• Thomas Edison experimented in the 1920s with goldenrod as a possible source of rubber.