Hi all! I found some goldenrod growing in the alley and had the bright idea to collect seeds and add it to my native garden. As you can maybe see, it’s not right for the space. It’s too tall (this is with a late-May chop) and too aggressive (this is year 2, starting with 3 seedlings, and I pulled a bunch this spring). Of course, the bees are loving it right now. Is there a different species that is maybe shorter and less aggressive that I could replace it with? South facing, full sun, dry soil. St. Louis region.
by drtumbleleaf
8 Comments
Zigzag?
There are some shorter versions and shorter species, but the stems will still lean horizontally over the concrete. You could try some of the Aster x dumosus selections. The few I’ve come across are compact globes of flowers in the fall and are very disease resistant compared to most Aster. This is an unpruned ‘Sapphire Mist’ growing in my driveway gravel.
https://preview.redd.it/uuzm8zjqlwtf1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1d4e3ca4f8a6a0c637d525c3ba08df4d80fc4a46
The plant is very aggressive because fast-growing species are adapted to survive in disturbed, sunny, and dry soils; the exact conditions of your narrow roadside strip. I would recommend keeping some goldenrods and companion planting, *like native grasses and sedges* to help manage its aggressive spread. These low-growing plants would also help frame the goldenrods visually, making any toppling or spreading look more intentional.
I feel like showy goldenrod (solidago speciosa) grows is similar dry conditions. And it’s even more full of blooms than the Canada Goldenrod 😊
Three locally native are S. nemoralis (old field goldenrod), S. missouriensis (Missouri goldenrod) and S. speciosa (showy goldenrod). All are 2-3 feet, not as aggressive as S. canadensis or S. altissima. https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/goldenrods
Put perennial grasses around it, like little bluestem (or maybe something taller), they’ll help contain the spread, help keep them from flopping over, and look good in the process.
Otherwise, *Solidago speciosa* supposedly doesn’t spread much.
tbh, Great poin! Balancing those aggressive goldenrods with lower plants sounds like a solid plan. Any specific grasses you’d recommend.
Looks just fine to me