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Meet the Natives: Seaside Goldenrod
This week, we’re highlighting another salt-tolerant plant — the seaside goldenrod (Solidago sempervirens).
Seaside goldenrod is an herbaceous, perennial flower that’s found throughout most of Florida’s coastal panhandle and peninsular counties. It is a member of the Asteraceae or aster family.
“This is an adaptable plant that can grow in various habitats including dunes, coastal forests, marshes, and along the edges of estuaries and bays,” said SCCF Native Landscapes & Garden Center Assistant Sophie Carpenter. “It’s salt tolerant and can handle both salt spray and periods of saltwater inundation once established.”
Seaside goldenrod prefers full sun and moist, well-draining sandy soils. It primarily flowers in the late summer throughout the fall, but can still flower in the winter, with bright yellow tubular blooms.
“This showy wildflower can grow between 4 to 8 feet high when in bloom, but flower stalks can be pruned back if desired,” Carpenter said. “Unfortunately, goldenrod is often blamed for causing seasonal allergies. However, the culprit is usually common ragweed, which blooms around the same time.”
Seaside goldenrod can spread quickly by both seed and rhizome, and if left to spread, can form dense colonies. The flowers provides nectar for many pollinators, including butterflies and bees. It also benefits birds who are attracted to the insects feeding on plant.
In areas with migratory monarch populations, seaside goldenrod is an excellent wildflower for supporting migratory monarchs on their journey to warmer climates.
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