Goldenrod
Solidago spp.
Blamed for hay fever it doesn't cause; feeds over 100 kinds of caterpillars.
Hardiness: zones 3 to 9
Light: full sun
Size: about 3 ft tall, 2 ft wide
From: North America
Drought-hardy once established
Here: Hardy in the Lake Erie shore climate (zone 6b to 7a), so it can live outdoors in the ground.
Good for: pollinators, butterfly and moth caterpillars.
Native to: Northeast, Southeast, Midwest & Great Lakes, Great Plains & Texas, Rockies & Great Basin, Desert Southwest, Pacific Northwest, California, Alaska, Eastern Canada, Western Canada. Hardy in zones 3 to 9.
The story
Goldenrod has been blamed for hay fever for generations, and it is innocent. Its pollen is heavy and sticky and carried by insects; the real culprit is ragweed, which blooms at the same time and lets its pollen go on the wind.
Planting
Full sun and average soil. Choose a clumping kind, such as showy or stiff goldenrod, for a small garden.
Growing
Cut it back by half in June for shorter, bushier plants. Divide clumps when they crowd.
Harvest and use
The most important late-season flower for bees, wasps and migrating monarchs. Leave the stems standing: birds eat the seed and insects winter in the galls.
What to watch for
Canada goldenrod spreads by root. Pick your species with care.
See if Goldenrod fits your yard
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More native and wild plants
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home