Bloom Color

Interesting Notes

However, goldenrods are better as visual delights than objects for cataloguing. In late summer and autumn, their tall wands and plumes wave over fields and roadsides in such profusion that they are perhaps the dominant ground coloring of the season. In eastern North America, they are so common and adaptable that there is almost no spot -- outside an inner city -- where one can stand outdoors in September and not see their bright color.

``Goldenrod, collectively, is a delight to the eye, for its color and indispensable factor in the landscape,'' said Mrs. Wright in 1901. ``For decorative purposes it is eminently satisfactory, sought out and beloved by all men, as is amply proved by `goldenrod weddings,' and by the numerous jars, pitchers, water cans, and bean pots filled with it that decorate suburban stoops.'' In Europe, where only a couple of not very showy species are found as natives, some of the more luxuriant American varieties have been carefully cultivated in gardens and have been popular as border plants.

Certain goldenrods, as well as steeplebush, are unusual among plants with spikes of flowers in that the blossoms at the top open first and the blooming creeps downward. In most other plants, the bottom-most flowers open and the blooming
moves upward. (However, John Burroughs found that in teasel, ``the wave of bloom begins in the middle of the head and spreads both ways, up and down.'') The top-to-bottom flowering of the spike-shaped goldenrods may be connected with
their competition for insect attention. When the plant first blooms, many of the late summer flowers are competing to attract bees, and thus the highest, most visible flowers come out first. Later, as the competition fades in the cooling breezes of fall,
goldenrod is one of the few flowers left, and it has no trouble flagging down hungry bees with its lower-blooming blossoms.

Another creature attracted to goldenrods is the praying mantis, the large green insect famed for eating so many garden pests. The fire chief in our town, who is also a trained entomologist, told me one fall day that the best place to find mantis egg
cases is attached to the dead stalks of goldenrod. To prove his point, a few hours later the chief showed up in my office with a dry stalk of goldenrod, mantis eggs attached. I kept the stalk outdoors over the winter and when spring arrived, the mini-
mantises hatched and headed out to presumably devour local pests.

Why do these mantids favor goldenrods? Possibly because the mother mantises spend a lot of time late in the season on goldenrods. They await prey among the many flying insects drawn by the color and scent to the wealth of nectar in the goldenrod fronds, clusters and wands of flowers. Done hunting and ready to lay eggs, they pick the nearest handy place. (http://www.acorn-online.com/hedge/golden.htm)

Growing and Maintenance Tips

S. graminifolia is found in fields, thickets and roadsides from Nova Scotia to Wisconsin, south to Texas and Florida. Prefers moist, well-drained soils in full sun to shade. Tolerant of poor, dry soils and is somewhat drought tolerant once established. Propagate by seed or division. Best used in the meadow, butterfly or wild garden.