Common Name: rough goldenrod
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Asteraceae
Zone: 4 to 8
Height: 3.00 to 3.50 feet
Spread: 2.50 to 3.00 feet
Bloom Time: September to October
Bloom Description: Yellow
Sun: Full sun
Water: Medium to wet
Maintenance: Low
Suggested Use: Rain Garden
Flower: Showy
Attracts: Butterflies
Tolerate: Deer, Clay Soil, Wet Soil
Culture
Easily grown in average, slightly acidic, medium to wet, well-drained soils in full sun. Tolerates light shade. May be grown from seed and may self-seed in the garden. This is a rhizomatous, spreading plant. Plants may self-seed in the garden.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Solidago rugosa, commonly called rough goldenrod, rough-stemmed goldenrod or wrinkle-leaved goldenrod, features panicles of showy yellow flowers in late summer to fall (August to October). Flowers bloom at the ends of rough, hairy, often unbranched stems clad with hairy, ovate to lanceolate, medium to dark green leaves (to 4" long) with crenate to sharply serrate margins and broad-margined stalks. Deep pinnate veins give the leaves a rough and wrinkled appearance. The central stem is erect and densely hairy, typically rising to 3-5' tall. This goldenrod is native from NewFoundland to Ontario and Michigan south to Missouri, Texas and Georgia. In Missouri, it is found in the southeast corner of the State in wet ground of swales, swampy meadows, and thickets, along spring branches and streams, swampy woodland, wet places in prairies but sometimes on dry sandy knolls and ledges (Steyermark). Goldenrods are attractive to bees and butterflies. Goldenrods have been wrongfully accused of causing hay fever which is actually an allergic reaction to wind-borne pollen from other plants such as ragweed.
Genus name comes from the Latin words solidus meaning whole and ago meaning to make in reference to the medicinal healing properties of some species plants.
Specific epithet from Latin means wrinkled for the leaves.
'Fireworks' features tiny, bright yellow flowers borne in dense, plume-like panicles on the ends of stiff, alternate-leaved stems typically growing 3-3.5' tall. Lacy flower panicles purportedly resemble fireworks, hence the cultivar name. Fall bloom period (September-October).
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems. Rust may occur. Watch for powdery mildew and leaf spot. Plants can be aggressive spreaders in optimum growing conditions, but are generally not considered to be invasive.
May need to be divided every 2 to 3 years to control growth.
Uses
Provides good color and contrast for the late summer to early fall perennial border, wild garden, meadow or naturalized area.