Ontario Wildflowers website

Rough-leaved Goldenrod
Solidago patula

Other common names: Spreading Goldenrod

Family: Composite Family (Asteraceae)

Group: Goldenrods

Distinctive features: Ridged stem, very rough leaves.

Similar species:
  •   Rough-stemmed Goldenrod (Solidago rugosa) - has both a rough stem and rough leaves.


Flowers: Summer, Autumn;  Yellow;  Indistinguishable parts (petals)

Height: Up to 2 m (5 ft)

Stem: Ridged. Books often refer to it as 4-sided, but this is misleading; the stem is not 4-sided but rather is ridged.

Habitat: Wet Areas;  Damp, wet areas.

Books: Newcomb's Wildflower Guide: 446    Peterson's Field Guide to Wildflowers: 196   

Native/Non-native: Native

Status: common.

Photographs: 146 photographs available, of which 16 are featured on this page. SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOGRAPHS.

Range Map is at the bottom of the page

Rough-leaved Goldenrod (Solidago patula)

Rough-leaved Goldenrod doesn't have a lot of flowers. They tend to be scattered along the stem, sometimes with a raceme at the end of the stalk.

Rough-leaved Goldenrod (Solidago patula)

Rough-leaved Goldenrod (Solidago patula)

Note that the flowers are somewhat large for Goldenrod, and the clusters don't have a lot of flowers in them.

Rough-leaved Goldenrod (Solidago patula)

Rough-leaved Goldenrod (Solidago patula)

As with other Goldenrods, the flowers bloom from the end of the stem down.

Rough-leaved Goldenrod (Solidago patula)

A photo of the overall shape and growth form of this species.

Rough-leaved Goldenrod (Solidago patula)

View of the lower portion of the plant.

Rough-leaved Goldenrod (Solidago patula)

The lower stem leaves are very large, and clasp the stem.

Rough-leaved Goldenrod (Solidago patula)

Leaves higher up the stem are a lot smaller.

Rough-leaved Goldenrod (Solidago patula)

Mid-stem leaf, upper surface.

Rough-leaved Goldenrod (Solidago patula)

Mid-stem leaf, lower surface.

Rough-leaved Goldenrod (Solidago patula)

The stem. It is NOT square, like the books say, but rather it is ridged.

Rough-leaved Goldenrod (Solidago patula)

The ridges are obvious in the winter remnants.

Rough-leaved Goldenrod (Solidago patula)

Flowers done, seeds forming.

Rough-leaved Goldenrod (Solidago patula)

Rough-leaved Goldenrod in the winter. The leaves will often hang on.

Rough-leaved Goldenrod (Solidago patula)

Seeds in the winter (mid December).


Range map for Rough-leaved Goldenrod (Solidago patula)

PLEASE NOTE: A coloured Province or State means this species occurs somewhere in that Province/State.
The entire Province/State is coloured, regardless of where in that Province/State it occurs.

(Range map provided courtesy of the USDA website and is displayed here in accordance with their Policies)