General Landscape Uses:
Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations. Also wildflower gardens.
Availability:
Commonly available at native plant nurseries in central Florida. Available in Miami at
Dade County FNPS.
Description: Small to medium herb with attractive spikes of yellow flowers.
Dimensions: About 3-9 inches in height; up to 4 feet when in flower. Taller than broad when in flower.
Growth Rate: Moderate to fast.
Range:
Southeastern United States north to New Jersey, west to Texas and south to the Monroe County Keys; West Indies, southern Mexico and Guatemala. In the Monroe County Keys, disjunct from Miami-Dade County to the pine rocklands of Big Pine Key.
Map of select IRC data from peninsular Florida.
Map of Postal Code Areas of IRC data from peninsular Florida.
Habitats: Pinelands, prairies and marshes.
Soils: Seasonally wet to moist, moderately- to poorly-drained freshwater soils, without humus.
Nutritional Requirements: Low; it grows in nutrient poor soils.
Salt Water Tolerance: Moderate; tolerates brackish water or occasional inundation by salt water.
Salt Wind Tolerance: Moderate; grows near salt water, but is protected from direct salt spray by other vegetation.
Drought Tolerance: Moderate to high; plants growing in extremely dry soils may die during extended periods of drought.
Light Requirements: Full sun.
Flower Color: Yellow.
Flower Characteristics: Showy spikes.
Flowering Season: All year; peak summer-fall.
Fruit: Inconspicuous achene.
Wildlife and Ecology: Attracts native bees and other beneficial insects. Valuable source of insects for birds.
Horticultural Notes: Can be grown from seed and division.
Comments: The leaves can be used to make a tea. Goldenrods are not a cause of hay fever as has been suggested.
