Eco-Friendly Native Plant of the Month

SEPTEMBER 2017 NC NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY REEDY CREEK NATURE PRESERVE

Photos by Will Stuart Solidago odora Licorice Goldenrod Riches in the ditches July-September mixes well with late because some have a basal rosette Goldenrod is a welcome sign of fall summer purple standouts such as fall which act as a ground cover over the with those sweeps of gold along the Asters or New York Ironweed. Plant winter. Licorice Goldenrod is not a side of the road. If you think about in full sun as part of a pollinator spreader and the erect green clumps it, roadsides must be the poorest meadow or partial sun at the sunny can provide structure all summer, growing conditions imaginable, and edges of a woodland garden. serving as a backdrop for summer’s yet the Goldenrods bloom summer Goldenrods in general are not more showy flowers. And thankfully, to fall in a sea of yellow. appreciated in America, but are once established, Licorice Goldenrod One Goldenrod that is truly worthy i s f a i r l y d r o u g h t t o l e r a n t . of featuring in your home garden is Additionally, it does not appear to No, not hay fever! be a deer favorite, another plus. Solidago odora, Sweet, Anise or Goldenrods are often confused with Licorice Goldenrod. Crush a few Ragweed, because they bloom at the Be a friend to birds leaves in your hand, inhale, and same time. But remember, Goldenrods F i n c h e s , w r e n s , w a r b l e r s , you’ll know you have the right one. are insect pollinated, whereas Ragweed chickadees and tufted titmice enjoy In fact a ‘Liberty tea’ was brewed is wind pollinated. Those airborne the small seeds in the fall. And if from the leaves. It has been used pollen grains (along with fall grasses) are your garden or meadow is casual in historically for digestive and cough the source of your hay fever. So style, try to leave the herbaceous medicines and the essential oil in celebrate Goldenrod each fall! vegetation standing as a home to the leaves used to make astringents insects that feed over wintering and washes. birds. Goldenrod attracts butterflies, bees, ladybugs, lacewings and other Think Meadow m u c h l ov e d a n d c u l t i v a t e d Licorice Goldenrod is perfectly sized friendly insects. throughout the world. This is the For more Eco and Bird Friendly pages visit: at 2-3 feet tall, and adaptable to dry perfect plant to stabilize a home ncwildflower.org to moist soils. The bloom season of meadow (no matter how small) ncnpssouthernpiedmont.wordpress.com ©2017 North Carolina Native Plant Society