Description Having grown and enjoyed Solidago sphacelata ‘Golden Fleece’ for decades, I began to wonder how the straight species would perform in a garden setting, and I finally tracked down some seeds to try. I could see the similarity in the basal foliage of the resulting seedlings, but the plants were much different: Instead of the compact stems and densely packed flower heads of ‘Golden Fleece’, the straight-species plants had much thinner stems (2 to 3 feet in height), with wide-spreading branches lined with the typical goldenrod-yellow flowers in early to mid fall (through September and into October). The overall effect was airy and graceful, as the side branches wove themselves into their nearby partners: much more subtle than the display produced by most goldenrods but quite lovely in its own way. The species is native to parts of the eastern United States, particularly in the southeast; my seeds are of a Virginia ecotype. “Autumn goldenrod” is the most commonly used common name for this plant, even though that’s pretty much pointless since it flowers at the same time as many other goldenrod species. It’s also known as “false goldenrod,” for some reason, though it is the genus of true goldenrods (Solidago). Full sun partial shade; average to dry soil. Perennial; Zones 3 to 9. Collected in late October 2025. At least 20 seeds. VA ecotype. Shipping to U.S. addresses only. Please read the germination information as well before ordering.
