Zigzag goldenrod
Solidago flexicaulis

Family: Compositae

What it is like

Solidago flexicaulis is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.6 m (2ft) by 0.6 m (2ft in) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 4. It is noted for attracting wildlife. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils and can grow in very acid soils. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.

Height (m): 0.6

Where it is found

Rich deciduous woods, wooded east and north facing slopes, rocky woods, edges of floodplain forests, shaded calcareous seeps, wooded stream banks, edges of limestone glades and cliffs.

Native to the eastern and central parts of the United States and Canada, from Nova Scotia west to Ontario and the Dakotas, and south as far as Alabama and Louisiana.

Conservation Status: Not Listed.

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 0

Leaves used for tea. Edible seed. No further information available.

Medicine

Rating: 0

Many species of Solidago have medicinal qualities although we have been unable to find information on Solidago flexicaulis.

Other

Rating: 3

A good nurse plant for sites prone to drought. Erosion Control. Invertebrates shelter: beneficial for insects and other arthropods. Nectary: provides nectar or pollen for beneficial insects. The flowerheads are pollinated by many kinds of insects, including long-tongued bees, small-tongued bees, wasps, flies, and butterflies. Several bees are oligoleges of Solidago spp. (Goldenrods). These species include: Andrena hirticincta, Andrena nubecula, Andrena placata, Andrena simplex, Andrena solidaginis, and Colletes simulans armata. Many insects feed on the leaves, flowers, seeds, and roots of goldenrods. These insect feeders include plant bugs, stink bugs, aphids, leaf beetles, and the caterpillars of many moths. These insects are a source of food to many woodland songbirds and some upland gamebirds. White-tailed Deer readily browse on the foliage of Zigzag Goldenrod. An interesting goldenrod for shady woodland areas.

How it is grown

A long-lived upright herbaceous perennial in the sunflower family (Compositae/Asteraceae). Prefers average, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. This is a woodland species that perhaps does best in sun-dappled part shade, but will also grow in full shade. Established plants tolerate some dry soils. Soil Type: Loamy, Silty. Tolerat clay or rocky soils. Soil Moisture: Moderate - mesic or dry soils. Minimum Root Depth: 20cm/8 inches. Root Type: Fibrous Shallow. Yellow flower; adds bright color to woodland gardens in fall. Bloom Time: July to September. For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. The plant growth habit is a clumper with limited spread. The root pattern is rhizomatous with underground stems sending roots and shoots along their length .

Propagating it: Root Division, Seeds. Fresh seed or root division. Seed Collection: Seeds ripen soon after plant blooms.

Best place to grow:

Habit: Perennial

Hardiness: 3-9

Growth: Medium

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: Full shade, semi-shade, no shade

Moisture: Dry, moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Zig-zag goldenrod, Zigzag golden rod, Broadleaved goldenrod

Synonyms

Aster latifolius (L.) Kuntze [Illegitimate]. Doria flexicaulis (L.) Lunell. S. flexicaulis var. ciliata DC. S. flexicaulis f. flexicaulis. S. flexicaulis var. flexicaulis. S. flexicaulis var. latifolia (L.) Pursh. S. latifolia L. S. scrophulariifolia Mill.