# Tall Goldenrod (*solidago altissima*) Tall Goldenrod is a bright yellow flower that stands tall and proud in fields. It's a favorite for bees and butterflies who love to visit its blooms! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger - **Snaps:** 5 - **Habitat:** Tall Goldenrod typically grows in fields, meadows, and along roadsides. - **Also known as:** Eastern Goldenrod, Field Goldenrod ![Tall Goldenrod](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Solidago_altissima2.jpg&width=800) Photo: KENPEI, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Solidago_altissima2.jpg) ## Appearance The Tall Goldenrod has a single, stout stem topped with a dense, pyramidal cluster of tiny, bright golden-yellow flowers. Its long, lance-shaped leaves are serrated, distinguishing it from similar prairie plants by its impressive height and vibrant yellow plume. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Asterales - **Family:** Asteraceae - **Genus:** Solidago ## Interesting facts - Goldenrod doesn't cause hay fever; its pollen is too heavy to blow in the wind! - Its bright yellow flowers were used long ago to make natural yellow dyes. - Some tiny flies make weird, round galls on its stems for shelter. - Thomas Edison once experimented with goldenrod to make rubber! ## Special abilities - **Underground Networker:** Tall Goldenrod can spread widely underground using strong rhizomes, helping it colonize open areas and form large colonies quickly. - **Pollinator Powerhouse:** Tall Goldenrod has abundant, nectar-rich flowers that attract a huge variety of beneficial insects, especially in late season. - **Weed Warrior:** Tall Goldenrod can release chemicals from its roots that make it harder for other plants to grow nearby, giving it an advantage. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 60-250 cm - **Spread:** 30-90 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.2-0.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late summer to fall - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — provides abundant nectar and pollen - **Depends on:** [Monarch Butterfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/monarch-butterfly) (*Danaus plexippus*) — relies on its nectar during migration - **Parasitizes:** Goldenrod Gall Fly (*Eurosta solidaginis*) — larvae develop inside galls on its stem - **Eaten by:** [American Goldfinch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-goldfinch) (*Carduelis tristis*) — eats its abundant seeds in winter ## Traits - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger No special safety notes yet. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Tall Goldenrod? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Tall Goldenrod? 60-250 cm ### How wide does Tall Goldenrod spread? 30-90 cm ### How big are the flowers on Tall Goldenrod? 0.2-0.5 cm ### When does Tall Goldenrod bloom? Late summer to fall ### Is Tall Goldenrod edible? Yes ### Is Tall Goldenrod toxic? None ### What is Tall Goldenrod's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Hoffner Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hoffner-historic-district) — Ohio, US · Historic District - [Mount Airy Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mount-airy-forest) — Ohio, US · Forest - [Aldie Mill Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/aldie-mill-historic-district) — Virginia, US · Historic District - [Harrell Prairie Botanical Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/harrell-prairie-botanical-area) — Mississippi, US · Botanical Garden - [Luverne Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/luverne-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [Pee Dee River Rice Planters Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pee-dee-river-rice-planters-historic-district) — South Carolina, US · Historic District [View all places to see Tall Goldenrod](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/tall-goldenrod) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Tall Goldenrod: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tall-goldenrod)