AVAILABLE FALL 2025
Virginia ecotype
Duration: Perennial
Habit: Upright, clump-forming, sometimes slowly colony-forming
Size: 2 to 3 feet tall; 1 to 2 feet wide
Flowering Time: August to October
Bloom Color: Golden yellow
Habitat: Dry open woods, glades, prairies, rocky slopes, and roadsides
Moisture: Dry to average; prefers well-drained soils
Light: Full sun to part sun
Soils: Sandy, rocky, or loamy soils
Uses: Pollinator gardens, dry meadow plantings, erosion control on dry slopes, difficult to plant areas in high sun or dry acidic soils, container plants
Solidago puberula (Downy goldenrod)
Solidago puberula is commonly known as Downy Goldenrod, is a compact goldenrod distinguished by its softly hairy stems and velvety foliage. Unlike the strong spreading habit of some goldenrods, this species grows in neat clumps, making it well-suited for smaller gardens or naturalized settings.
Downy goldenrod sports upright clusters of golden-yellow flower heads bloom in late summer to fall, providing bright color just as many other perennials begin to fade. True to its preference for dry, well-drained habitats, it thrives in sandy, rocky, or upland soils and often flourishes in spots where other species might struggle. It primarily occurs in acidic soils of mixed pineland forests and arid, rocky or hilly sites. So it should not be planted in too organic or moisture-retentive garden soils.
Downy goldenrod's flowers are a late-season nectar and pollen source for bees, wasps, butterflies, and beetles, and beneficial wasps. Several specialist bees in the genus Perdita rely exclusively on goldenrods, including this species, for pollen. In addition, goldenrods support a wide array of caterpillars and beetles, forming an important base for food webs.
Its compact form, low maintenance needs, and tolerance for drought make it not only a pollinator powerhouse but also a garden-friendly goldenrod that offers both beauty and ecological benefit.