Canada goldenrod
Solidago canadensis L.
Images
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Morphology
- Stem
- Erect, solitary to loosely clustered, mostly unbranched, hairy.
- Leaves
- Numerous, alternate, simple, short-stalked to sessile, narrowly lanceolate to elliptic, 1 to 6 inches long, to 1 inch wide, thin, conspicuously 3-nerved, usually minutely-hairy below, rough or nearly glabrous above; margins shallowly toothed; tips pointed; lower leaves often absent at flowering.
- Inflorescence
- Panicle-like, open or dense, cone-shaped or inverted cone-shaped; lower branches downward curving; heads usually only on upper side of branches, cylindric, to 1/4 inch wide; bracts thin, linear, yellowish; tips green, pointed.
- Flower
- Ray florets 5-18, less than 1/8 inch long, yellow; disk florets 2-8, yellow; stigmas shaped like spear points.
- Fruit
- Achenes, tiny, short-hairy, tipped with numerous, whitish, hair-like bristles, enclosing small seed.
Ecology
- Habitat
- Open, damp or drying sites, hillsides, thickets, banks of streams, disturbed areas, and open woods.
- Distribution
- Throughout Kansas.
Practical Information
- Uses
- Native Americans used the flowers to make a medicinal tea used to treat fevers, diarrhea, and insomnia.
Additional Notes
Comments
Canada goldenrod commonly is encountered and quite variable. It is erroneously linked with hay fever; insects spread the pollen, not the wind.
Quick Facts
- Plant Type
- Wildflower
- Family
- Asteraceae - Sunflower Family
- Life Span
- Perennial
- Height
- 1-6 feet
- Last Updated
- 2021-03-07
Color Groups
Yellow Wildflowers
Flowering Period
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Blooms: July, August, September