Seaside Goldenrod
Solidago sempervirens
After blooming, seaside goldenrod flower clusters mature into seed heads filled with fuzzy, nut-like fruit capsules that each contain one seed. (Jerry Oldenettel/Flickr)
Seaside goldenrod is a native perennial plant with large, golden yellow flower clusters that bloom in late summer and autumn.
Appearance
Seaside goldenrod consists of large clusters of tiny, golden yellow flowers at the top of a tall stem. Flower clusters are upright or slightly drooping and bloom in August to October. Long, waxy, evergreen leaves are arranged alternately along the stem, getting bigger toward the bottom of the stem. Seaside goldenrod grows 3 to 6 feet tall.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
After blooming, flower clusters mature into seed heads filled with fuzzy, nut-like fruit capsules that each contain one seed. Wind spreads the seeds.
Did You Know?
- Seaside goldenrod is a good flower to plant in swales and rain gardens because it can tolerate rock salt used on roads in winter.
- It can play an important role in providing nesting habitat for shorebirds like willets, killdeer and black skimmers.
Sources and Additional Information
- Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat and Conservation Landscaping: Chesapeake Bay Watershed – U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- Life in the Chesapeake Bay by Alice Jane Lippson and Robert L. Lippson
- Chesapeake Bay: Nature of the Estuary, A Field Guide by Christopher P. White
- PLANTS Database: Solidago sempervirens – USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
- Seaside Goldenrod – Connecticut Botanical Society
Quick Facts
Species
Native
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Size
3 to 6 feet tall -
Habitat
Grows in high parts and along the edges of fresh, brackish and salt marshes. Found in parts of the marsh that are irregularly flooded by tides; also grows on beaches and sand dunes in coastal areas. Can grow in full or partial sun.
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Range
Southern half of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, including Delaware, Maryland and Virginia.
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Status
Stable
