Guide to Area Goldenrod Species

Goldenrod species are superficially very similar, but a combination of characteristics can make them easy to ID. Species get taller as you down this list. To see a printable Excel summary of this page, click here.
Flowers on one side of the stem are secund.
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Goldenrod, gray - Solidago nemoralis
​​​a small, six to twenty-four inch species of open woods and fields; flowers are secund; tiny leaflets present in leaf axils; 5 to 9 ray petals in each flower. Stems are downy.

Goldenrod, blue-stemmed - Solidago caesia. A common one to three-foot woodland plant. Blue-purple stems are smooth, sometimes waxy; flowers are borne all along the stems, interspersed with untoothed, pointed leaves. Individual flowers have only 3 to 5 rays.

Goldenrod, showy - Solidago speciosa. A short, one to three-foot plant with an erect inflorescence; leaves are smooth, mostly untoothed, tapering to the base; flowers have 6 to 9 ray petals.

Goldenrod, zigzag - Solidago flexicaulis. This one to three-foot woodland species has stems which bend at the nodes; leaves are round, sharp-toothed and pointed at both ends; flowers have only three or four ray petals.

​​Goldenrod, sweet - Solidago odora
Up to three feet high; identified by smooth leaves with strong, single veins. Prefers dry open woods. Three to five rays per flower. Leaves smell of licorice when crushed.

​​​Goldenrod, early - Solidago juncea. One of our earliest species; one to four feet tall; upper leaves have tiny leaflets in the axils; 7 to 12 ray petals. Stems are smooth.

​Goldenrod, elm-leaved - Solidago ulmifolia. Leaves are stemless and coarsely toothed; stands two to four feet tall. Flowers are borne in branching sprays at the top of the stem, with only 3 to 5 ray petals on each flower.

Goldenrod, false - Solidago sphacelata
​An uncommon two- to four-foot woodland species; basal leaves are heart-shaped or oval, and sharply toothed; 3 to 6 ray petals per flower.

​Goldenrod, riverbank - Solidago rupestris
A rare, small-flowered species. Leaf undersides and lower stems are smooth. 
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Goldenrod, rough - Solidago rugosa  Branching inflorescence; two to four feet tall; stems are rough-hairy; lower leaves are wrinkled, heavily veined and pointed, with ragged teeth and winged, tapering stems. Each flower has 6 to 10 rays.

Goldenrod, flat-topped - Euthamia graminifolia
​Easily separated from other goldenrod species, due to its flat inflorescence and thin leaves, pointed at both ends.

​Goldenrod, forest - Solidago arguta
Uncommon in open woods, standing two to five feet tall. Lower leaves are persistent, pointed, and sharply toothed.

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​Goldenrod, Canada - Solidago canadensis. Abundant in open fields; stands to seven feet tall, stems are downy.​ 9 to 15 ray petals. Leaves are slightly rough.

Goldenrod, smooth - Solidago gigantea. Our other common, very tall species of open fields, standing to seven feet; leaves are very smooth. Stem is smooth, green or purple, sometimes waxy; 7 to 15 ray petals.

Goldenrod, rough-leaved - Solidago patula. Uncommon two to seven foot species of wet soils; lower leaves are very large, up to twelve inches long; flowers have 6 to 12 rays.