stiff goldenrod

(Solidago rigida)

Overview

Stiff goldenrod is a common, showy wildflower in open places in eastern and central United States. It is found in prairies, savannas, and open woodlands, and along roadsides. It is drought resistant, and it thrives in dry, sandy, or rocky soils.

Stiff goldenrod flowers from late summer to early fall. It attracts many pollinators, including western honey bees, mason wasps, paper wasps, scolid wasps, flower flies, and of course, goldenrod soldier beetles.

There are three subspecies of Solidago rigida, two of which occur in Minnesota.

 
stiff goldenrod
 
Description

Stiff goldenrod is a 24 to 60 tall, erect, perennial forb that rises on 1 to 10 stems from a short, branched, woody caudex. The stems and leaves are densely covered with short, curved hairs, giving them a rough texture and a grayish-green appearance. The leaves are egg shaped and rigid. Their margins may be toothed or untoothed. The inflorescence is a showy, dense, flat-topped cluster of many small yellow flower heads at the top of the stem.

Distribution

Distribution Map

 

Sources

2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 28, 29, 30.

3/21/2024    
Taxonomy

Kingdom

Plantae (green algae and land plants)

Subkingdom

Viridiplantae (green plants)

Infrakingdom

Streptophyta (land plants and green algae)

Superdivision

Embryophyta (land plants)

Division

Tracheophyta (vascular plants)

Subdivision

Spermatophytina (seed plants) / Angiospermae (flowering plants)

Class

Magnoliopsida (flowering plants)

Superorder

Asteranae

Order

Asterales (sunflowers, bellflowers, fanflowers, and allies)

Family

Asteraceae (sunflowers, daisies, asters, and allies)

Subfamily

Asteroideae

Supertribe

Asterodae

Tribe

Astereae (asters and allies)

Genus

Solidago (goldenrod)

Section

Ptarmicoidei

   

Some taxonomist separate the seven flat-topped goldenrod species in the Solidago section Ptarmicoidei as a separate genus Oligoneuron. The Global Compositae Database lists stiff goldenrod as Oligoneuron rigidum, with Solidago rigida a synonym. The Global Compositae Checklist lists it as Solidago rigida, with Oligoneuron rigidum a synonym. USDA PLANTS lists it as Oligoneuron rigidum. Almost all other sources list it as Solidago rigida.

   

Subordinate Taxa

stiff goldenrod (Solidago rigida ssp. glabrata)

stiff goldenrod (Solidago rigida ssp. humilis)

stiff goldenrod (Solidago rigida ssp. rigida)

   

Synonyms

Oligoneuron rigidum

   

Common Names

hard-leaved goldenrod

prairie goldenrod

rigid goldenrod

rigid-leaved goldenrod

stiff goldenrod

stiff-leaf goldenrod

stiff-leaved goldenrod

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Dan W. Andree

fork-tailed bush katydid

Katydid on Goldenrod...

Seen it at Frenchman’s Bluff SNA 8-29-24.

MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
stiff goldenrod    

Habitat

 

 

     
stiff goldenrod   stiff goldenrod

Plant

 

Plant

     
stiff goldenrod   stiff goldenrod

Inflorescence

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inflorescence

     
stiff goldenrod   stiff goldenrod

Leaf

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leaves

 

Camera

Slideshows

Solidago rigidum (Stiff Goldenrod)
Allen Chartier

Solidago rigidum (Stiff Goldenrod)

Solidago rigida STIFF GOLDENROD
Frank Mayfield

Solidago rigida STIFF GOLDENROD

 

slideshow

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Other Videos

Monarch butterfly forages on stiff goldenrod
Robert Klips

About

Published on Sep 13, 2012

Stiff goldenrod, Solidago rigida, is a prairie wildflower with bright yellow flowers that are avidly visited by a variety of butterflies, including this monarch butterfly. The location is the Larry R. Yoder Prairie on the Marion Campus of Ohio State University.

Dance of the Monarchs and Honeybees.m4v
Joy Buslaff

About

Uploaded on Sep 6, 2010

On a Labor Day weekend, migrating Monarchs and local Honeybees found nectar aplenty within the flowers of Solidago rigida (Rigid or Stiff Goldenrod).

 

Camcorder

Visitor Sightings
 

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Dan W. Andree
8/29/2024

Location: Frenchman’s Bluff SNA

fork-tailed bush katydid
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Binoculars

 

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