Canadian Goldenrod

Solidago canadensis

I have always grown this most beautiful golden perennial which seems to hold the rays of the sun within its petals. It attracts nectar loving insects like hoverflies and bees, and as an attractive garden ornamental grown in many a garden, it has also managed to escape the fence and can be found naturalised in the wild.

The golden-yellow flower heads are on numerous horizontal branches which decrease in size up the stem. The leaves are many and lance-shaped with toothed margins. This is a tall plant which can grow up to 2m (6ft 7in) in height.

It flowers August to October, and is found naturalised on roadsides, railway embankments, wasteland and field margins. Originally native to North America, it has become fairly common throughout England, lesser so elsewhere.

Photographs of Canadian Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis), taken July 2016, front garden, Staffordshire. © Pete Hillman 2016. Camera used Nikon D3200, with Nikon 70-300mm telephoto zoom lens.