Flowers of the Day: More Goldenrods

Posted on August 30, 2014 by elizabeth

late goldenrod; Solidago gigantea

Canada goldenrod; Solidago canadensis

Both in the Asteraceae, of course.

Late goldenrod and Canada goldenrod grow in similar habitats. They’re both tall (late to 7 feet, Canada to 5 feet). They both have plume-like inflorescences and parallel-veined leaves. Late goldenrod has slightly larger flowers than Canada goldenrod. The main difference that I can see is in the stems: late has a slightly purplish stem (sometimes) that is (sometimes) covered with a white bloom:

while Canada goldenrod has a smooth, green stem:

Here’s an overhead look at Canada goldenrod:

And here’s a closeup look at late goldenrod:

Tomorrow, the real culprit behind hayfever.

Flower of the Day: Early Goldenrod

Posted on August 29, 2014 by elizabeth

Solidago juncea; Asteraceae (aster family)

Look up goldenrod in any plant guide and you’ll be amazed at how many species there are – and how different some of them are from each other. Clemants and Gracie describe 22; Newcomb lists 30, in the back of his Wildflower Guide after “Parts Indistinguishable”; and Peterson has 29. The USDA plants database shows 77, all native.

Of these, as many as 32 might be found along the Potomac on the Maryland side (depends which authority you consult). So it’s with some trepidation that I start posting about them. After three years of doing this, I still consider myself a novice, prone to errors.

This species is the first one I saw this year, on July 14, on my favorite rock bluff upstream of Carderock. Here it is in bud, looking a little like a bird-of-paradise.

And here it is a little further developed, buds not quite open.

That particular area, by the way, has the highest diversity of plant life of any area I’ve found. It’s a rock outcrop that’s about 30 feet high by maybe 100 feet long. From base to top the soils and sun exposure are different. I’ve found several dozen different species there this year.

Flower of the Day: New York Ironweed

Posted on August 28, 2014 by elizabeth

Vernonia noveboracensis; Asteraceae (aster family)

This coarse-textured plant is a joy to find in the wild. Growing up to six feet, it likes full sun and wet soils, so you’ll find it not far from the river banks, facing the water from the treeline.

It’s one of 30 species of Vernonia native to the US, though only two others are found in this area. Occurring primarily on the East Coast, it’s listed as a plant of special concern in Kentucky, and is presumed extirpated in Ohio.

New York ironweed is also an important source of pollen. The Xerces Society considers it of “special value to native bees”. It would make a great companion to joe-pye weed in the back of a perennial border, especially in a yard with drainage issues.

Remember hairy hawkweed from a few days ago? That composite flower has only rays. This one has only disc flowers. In the below left picture you can see the five petals of the corolla, with the reproductive parts rising out of them.

lI love the intensity of color.

Flower of the Day: Purple-Headed Sneezeweed

Posted on August 25, 2014 by elizabeth

Helenium nudiflorum (aka H. flexuosum); Asteraceae (aster family)

There’s not much to say about this plant. It’s found Maine through Texas and parts of the upper Midwest, grows to three feet tall, and has flowers 2 inches across. It likes wet areas, like riverbanks. Looks a little like a coneflower, except that each ray flower has three lobes.

I just really like how this picture came out. I saw a single plant on August 11 and haven’t seen any since. So glad I took the time to get some nice photos.

Flower of the Day: Hairy Hawkweed

Posted on August 23, 2014 by elizabeth

aka queendevil; Hieracium gronovii; Asteraceae (aster family)

Unlike the big sunflowers and coneflowers I’ve posted about in the last several days, this little plant grows in the dry soils along the rocky bluffs well above the river. Like its close relative rattlesnake weed (fotd 5/31), this composite flower is comprised only of rays.

The flowering stem of hairy hawkweed grows only one to three feet tall, and might show a few small leaves; otherwise the plant has only a very low basal rosette of leaves:

It’s found from Quebec and Maine (or not; it’s listed as possibly extirpated in Maine) south through Texas and Florida, but not in Vermont and New Hampshire.

By the way, I swear I did not re-use the picture from May 31! These two plants are in the same genus and the flowers are almost identical. Indeed, when I first spotted this plant I thought I’d found an extremely late-blooming rattlesnake weed; I only realized it was something different when I looked at the basal rosette of leaves.

Elizabeth's Wildflower Blog

hunting in the Maryland piedmont (mostly)

Tag Archives: aster family