About Solidago
Solidago is goldenrod, the feathery yellow spray that fills out an enormous share of mixed bouquets. Hundreds of tiny flowers on branching plumes give it a soft haze that no single-headed yellow flower can match, and it is one of the cheapest ways to warm up an arrangement.
It is also blamed every autumn for hay fever it is incapable of causing. Its pollen is heavy and sticky and travels by insect, not wind. The real culprit is ragweed, which flowers at exactly the same time and is far less conspicuous.
Primary Meanings
- Encouragement: The traditional meaning, from its late-season cheer
- Good Fortune: Long associated with luck and treasure in folklore
- Growth: From its vigorous spreading habit
- Healing: The genus name means to make whole
Solidago Colors and Their Meanings
Golden Solidago
The classic and effectively the only shade
Pale Yellow Solidaster
The softer aster hybrid
Dyed Solidago
Takes dye readily; sold in novelty colours
Popular Solidago Types
Tara
The commercial cut variety, dense plumes on straight stems
Solidaster
A goldenrod and aster cross, paler and softer
Golden Baby
Compact, heavy flowering, good for mixed bunches
Wild Goldenrod
The roadside species, looser and taller
Care Instructions
Strip Foliage
The leaves rot quickly and cloud the water.
Change Water
Every couple of days; it fouls water fast.
Recut
Trim on an angle and again midweek.
Cool and Bright
It holds well but dislikes direct sun.
Best Occasions for Solidago
- Mixed Bouquets: Its main use, adding warmth and volume
- Autumn Arrangements: The natural season and the strongest supply
- Country Style: With sunflowers, zinnias and rudbeckia
- Dried Work: It dries acceptably, fading to a soft fawn
Interesting Solidago Facts
- Its pollen is too heavy to blow, so it cannot cause hay fever
- Ragweed flowers at the same time and is the actual cause
- Solidago is Latin for to make whole, from its medicinal use
- Solidaster is a genuine cross between goldenrod and aster
- It is the state flower of Kentucky and Nebraska
How to Buy Good Solidago
Look at the plumes from the side. You want most of the tiny flowers still tight and only the lower part of each plume open, because solidago goes fluffy and grey as it finishes and there is no recovering it. Any plume that already looks hazy rather than sharply yellow is at the end. The stems should be firm, and the foliage clean, because the leaves go first and take the water quality with them.
Season, Availability and What Drives the Price
It flowers naturally in late summer and autumn, which is when it is at its best and cheapest, but greenhouse and imported supply keeps it available all year. It is consistently one of the least expensive things in the shop and is bought as filler by volume, so holiday demand barely affects it. Dyed solidago in greens and blues turns up around Christmas and St Patrick's Day.
What to Use Instead
Statice gives similar volume with colour that never fades. Baby's breath does the same job in white. Waxflower brings longevity and scent. For yellow specifically, craspedia gives hard round buttons rather than a haze, and yarrow gives flat plates of tiny flowers with a similar meadow feel. Solidaster is the softer version of solidago itself and is worth asking for if the plain yellow feels too strong.
Safety Around Pets and Skin
Solidago is not toxic to cats or dogs and is not on the ASPCA hazard list. It is safe to have around animals. The hay fever concern is also unfounded: its pollen is sticky and insect-carried, so it does not become airborne in the way that would trigger allergies. Anyone reacting in a room with goldenrod in it is almost certainly reacting to something else.
Florist Tips for Solidago
It is not what is making you sneeze
Goldenrod gets blamed because it is bright yellow and obvious in late summer. Ragweed flowers at the same time, is wind-pollinated and is genuinely the cause. Solidago pollen physically cannot travel far enough.
Buy it tight
Once the plumes go fluffy they cannot be brought back. Sharply yellow and dense is what you want.
Strip the leaves
The foliage is the weak point. Bare stems last noticeably longer and keep the water clear for everything else in the vase.
Common Questions About Solidago
Does goldenrod cause hay fever?
No. Its pollen is heavy and sticky and is carried by insects, so it does not blow around. Ragweed flowers at the same time of year, is wind-pollinated and is the actual cause. Goldenrod simply looks guilty because it is the conspicuous yellow thing in the field.
What is solidaster?
A genuine hybrid between solidago and aster. It is paler, softer and slightly more delicate than plain goldenrod, and many florists prefer it in mixed work because the yellow is less assertive.
Why did my solidago go grey and fluffy?
It finished. The tiny flowers go to seed and the sharp yellow becomes a grey haze. It cannot be reversed, so buy stems with most of the plume still in tight bud.