Goldenrod

Goldenrod: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Loose, upright clump 30–80 cm tall and about 40 cm wide, with little-branched stems.

Foliage

Broadly oval to lance-shaped, toothed and stalked at the base; smaller, narrower and alternate higher up; mid-green.

Flower

Bright yellow flower heads about 1 cm across in narrow, often little-branched spikes, from July to October.

Seed

Small seeds with a parachute of fluff, spread by the wind.

Roots

Woody rootstock with fibrous roots; the clump grows slowly.

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

Why grow it?

• Native plant that gives yellow spikes from July to October, well into autumn.
• Nectar source for bees and butterflies at a time when little else is in flower.
• Does not spread aggressively and stays a tidy clump, unlike Canadian goldenrod.
• Tolerates poor, dry soil and half shade, so suits a woodland edge or natural border.
• Little work: one cut a year is enough.

Goldenrod: where does it grow best?

• Sun or half shade; it also grows at woodland edges.
• Poor to ordinary, well-drained soil: sand or loam, preferably acid to neutral.
• Dry to normally moist; it tolerates drought, but not waterlogging.
• Allow 30–40 cm between plants; in a group of 3–5 it shows to best effect.
• Avoid rich soil: there the plant becomes leggy and floppy.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Sand or loam

Acidity

Acid or neutral

Moisture

Dry or normal

Size

0.6 m tall, 0.4 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -30 °C)

Goes well with

• Field scabious: Blue-purple flowers in the same dry, poor bank.
• Wild marjoram: Pink flowers that attract bees and butterflies, in the same sunny spot.
• Brown knapweed: Purple-pink thistle-like flowers that bloom in the same months.
• Wavy hair-grass: A fine native grass, lovely in soft tufts between the spikes.

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. Choose a poor, well-drained spot and add no fertiliser; a little compost is fine.
3. Plant at the same depth as in the pot and firm the soil well.
4. Space plants 30–40 cm apart and water thoroughly straight away.
5. Spread a thin layer of leaf mould around the plant, keeping the base clear.

Care

Water

Rarely needed once established; water at the base only in prolonged drought.

Feeding

Not needed: on poor soil the plant stays compact and sturdy.

Mulching

A thin layer of leaf mould or bark keeps the soil cool; no thick layer.

Spent flowers

They can stay as winter decoration and for the seed. Cut them off if you do not want the plant to self-sow.

Dividing

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

Tip: Use poor, free-draining soil and do not feed: the plant stays compact and flowers into October. Do not dig plants up from the wild; buy or sow them.

Goldenrod: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March.

When: In March cut back the old, dead stems.

How:

• In March cut all dead stems down to about 10 cm above the ground.
• Cut spent spikes off in autumn if you do not want the plant to self-sow.
• Leave the spikes until spring if you like them in winter; they also shelter insects.

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.

Seed

In autumn outdoors or in spring in a seed tray, sprinkle the seed on fine, poor soil without covering it: it germinates in light. Keep the soil moist.

Basal cuttings

In spring, cut young shoots 5–8 cm long from the base and set them in moist cutting compost.

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.
• Ensure well-drained soil: wet winters do more harm than frost.

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 buds. Rinse them off with water or let ladybirds do the work.
• Slugs: They eat the young shoots in spring. Collect them in the evening or lay a plank to trap them.

Through the year

• March: Cut back old stems. Plant or divide.
• April: Plant. Watch for slugs.
• May: Plant. Water in prolonged drought.
• June: Growth. Buds form.
• July: Flowering begins. Bees and butterflies visit the spikes.
• August: Flowering.
• September: Flowering. Plant.
• October: Late flowers. Plant.
• November: Leave the spikes 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 virgaurea comes from Latin and means golden rod, after the yellow spikes.
• Goldenrod is the only species of the genus Solidago that grows naturally in Flanders; the others seen in gardens come from North America.
• The seeds carry a tuft of fluff that the wind disperses.