Solidago rigida, Stiff Goldenrod


Stiff Goldenrod flowers with pollinator

I only grow a small number of Goldenrod species in small spaces. What is a big space, then? A field! Stiff Goldenrod does well in a moderately sized prairie garden. What is moderate size? Forty or fifty feet in either direction. What I like about Stiff Goldenrod is that it forms clumps as opposed to spreading via rhizome which makes others, like Canada Goldenrod, a pest in anything but the most competitive open spaces. 

Stiff Goldenrod is tallish, but rigid (rigida!) and isn't likely to lean. It will self-seed, which is either okay with you or you must clip the heads right after flowering. Another good idea is to plant it with its community of competitive plants and in average to dry soil conditions. 
 
Pollinators love goldenrod, as do I look forward to their golden color as complement to the blue Asters of autumn. If one is doing prairie planting, there must be goldenrod, and this is a good choice. It is native to nearly the whole state of Minnesota and also goes by the botanical name Oligoneuron rigidum.

Blooms: yellow, August to October

Height: 3-5 feet

Conditions: sun to pt sun, medium to dry soils

A four year old Stiff Goldenrod