Goldenrod ID - Ask Extension
About 4 years ago I planted bluestem goldenrod Solidago caesia in my native plants shade garden. It has grown and bloomed every year but was not a rob...
Knowledgebase
Goldenrod ID #792111
Asked May 22, 2022, 7:42 PM EDT
About 4 years ago I planted bluestem goldenrod Solidago caesia in my native plants shade garden. It has grown and bloomed every year but was not a robust plant. I do know it is a very delicate goldenrod so assumed this was natural. Suddenly this year my garden is overrun with a plant that looks to be a goldenrod but is extremely robust and is putting out rhizomes in some cases. I am afraid to let it go the entire season since it doesn't look like Solidago caesia but am not entirely sure. I am worried that it will be impossible to get rid of if is some other goldenrod. Can you help me identify the plant in attached pcs? Thanks@
Howard County Maryland
Expert Response
The ID of many Aster-family plants, including Goldenrods and Asters themselves, can be very challenging, and blooms are typically needed to help confirm ID. We can say we agree that this doesn't appear to be Solidago caesia, but we aren't certain what species it is. It resembles Aster more than Goldenrod, though we don't know which species. Given its vigor, you can remove as much of it as you'd like if you think it will out-compete intentional plantings, but we'd need it to come into flower to make another attempt at ID. (Which may happen quite late in the growing season, potentially.)
Miri
Miri
