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Fireworks Goldenrod

Solidago rugosa (so-li-DAY-go roo-GO-suh)

Family: Asteraceae Unknown Herbaceous (3-15 ft)

'Fireworks' is a cultivar of the native herbaceous perennial S. rugosa in the Asteraceae (daisy) family. Plants form a bushy, upright clump reaching 2 to 3 feet tall and wide of dark-green leaves and grow best in moist, well-drained soil, but are somewhat tolerant of dry and wet soils. In late summer the blooms appear along 18-inch arching stems held above the foliage to provide a stunning display of yellow flowers that resemble fireworks, hence the cultivar name. These blooms are very attractive to various butterflies and bees. It pairs nicely with the blues and lavenders of asters or Joe-pye weed. 'Fireworks' is not aggressive and will not try to take over your garden as it spreads slowly by rhizomes. Divide every three to four years or as needed. Cut the plant down in early spring before it starts growing again. Native bees nest in the dead, hollow stems, so gardeners are encouraged to cut back dead stems to 12 to 24 inches and allow them to remain standing until they disintegrate on their own. Read more about best practices for stem-nesting bees in this NC Extension publication . Use in the border of a native or pollinator garden or naturalized meadow setting. This plant is resistant to browsing by deer. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems. More information on Solidago rugosa .

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 52 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft) Optimal soil pH Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Herbaceous Perennial
Life cycle
Perennial
USDA zones
4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry | Occasionally Wet
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 2 ft. 6 in. - 3 ft. 6 in. | Width: 2 ft. 6 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Arching; Clumping; Dense; Erect
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Ovate
Leaf margin
Crenate; Serrate
Leaf feel
Smooth
Leaf size
3-6 inches long
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
3-6 inch oval green leaves are alternate on stems and toothed.
Flower color
Gold/Yellow
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Panicle
Flower shape
Tubular
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Tiny yellow flowers in dense panicles at the ends of arching stems. Blooms late summer to fall.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit type
Achene
Fruit detail
Bullet-shaped achene with a short tuft of hairs at the tip. Displays from September to November.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Wildlife value
Attracts butterflies, bees, pollinators, and beneficial insects. Songbirds eat the seeds. Dead stems are used by stem-nesting bees
Attracts
Butterflies; Pollinators
Play value
Attracts Pollinators
Food & Medicine
Fruit type
Achene
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Meadow; Naturalized Area
Landscape theme
Butterfly Garden; Pollinator Garden; Rain Garden
Design feature
Border
Garden tags
#showy flowers #border planting #herbaceous perennial #yellow flowers #low maintenance #deer resistant #full sun tolerant #rain garden #fall interest #summer flowers #native perennial #fall flowers #native garden #clay soils tolerant #butterfly friendly #HS302 #pollinator plant #nectar plant mid-summer #nectar plant late summer #nectar plant early fall #nectar plant mid-fall #food source fall #wet soils intolerant #bird friendly #highly beneficial coastal plants #buncombe county sun and shade garden #meadow #nesting site #moth friendly
Problems & Resistance
Resistant to
Deer; Heat; Humidity; Insect Pests; Wet Soil
Propagation
Division

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.