Zigzag Goldenrod

Perennial  •  $6, 4-inch pot

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Height	2 to 3 ft
Spacing	1 to 2 ft
Sun Exposure	Part Sun to Shade
Soil Moisture	Moist to Medium-Dry
Bloom Color	Yellow
Bloom Time	Aug, Sept, Oct
Companion Plantings	Heart-leaved Aster, Short’s Aster, Nodding Fescue
Special Attributes

Solidago flexicaulis

Showy spikes of bright yellow flowers top this plant in fall, and this is in addition to the incredible ecosystem services this woodland goldenrod provides. Goldenrods often get a bad rap, falsely accused of causing seasonal allergies and spreading aggressively, neither of which are true for most plants in the Solidago genus, especially this one (goldenrods cannot cause seasonal allergies because they are insect-pollinated; the pollen is too heavy and sticky to be moved by the wind, which is what causes allergies). Doug Tallamy identifies goldenrods as “Keystone” plants for the plethora of wildlife they support, which include over 100 species of butterfly and moth caterpillars that use goldenrod as their host plant.

Zigzag Goldenrod is easy to grow and will flourish in many soil and sun conditions, making it a wonderful choice for home landscaping, as it is also well-behaved and will not spread aggressively. I find this plant growing alongside Heart-Leaved Aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium) in open woods, making a stunning color combination; these plants also both offer important pollen and nectar sources late in the season, fueling migrating Monarch butterflies, and should be planted more if for that reason alone.

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