Solidago hispida

What to look for in the field:

The capitulescence is often long and narrow, with numerous short branchlets either at the top of the stem or growing from nodes along the stem. Robust plants may have a much broader, open capitulescence, with several longer, straight, ascending branches. Heads are crowded on branches, NOT in one-sided arrays.

Stems are straight and densely pubescent, sometimes rough to the touch.

Leaves are basally-disposed. Basal and lower-most stem leaves are obovate, shallowly toothed, have long winged petioles, and may be present during flowering. Mid- to upper stem leaves quickly become reduced in size upward, more narrowly ovate or elliptic, untoothed, and have shorter winged petioles or lack petioles (upper-most).

Both ray and disc florets are bright yellow.

Note: Solidago hispida is very similar to S. bicolor in many ways, with the obvious major difference being the ray and disc floret colors. Indeed, S. hispida has often been considered a variation of S. bicolor ("var concolor" or "yellow bicolor"). Though infrequent, S. bicolor may have yellow ray and disc florets. The color, however, is more of a pale yellow than the deeper, richer yellow of S. hispida. Also, the phyllaries of S. hispida are pale yellow or green, with a somewhat indistinct green patch near the tip. The green patch is more distinct in S.bicolor. These two characteristics are the best way to distinguish the two species from each other.

State Status *	CT	MA	RI	VT	NH	ME
State Status *	P	SH		P	P	P

Ecology:	Dry open woods; sandy or rocky (often sweeter) soil
Blooming Period:	August to September
Typical Height Range:	2' to 3' (6 to 9 dm)
*[Our plants are var hispida.]*


*Solidago bicolor var concolor*