Solidago sempervirens

seaside goldenrod
S. sempervirens in Fajã dos Cubres on São Jorge Island
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Solidago
Species: S. sempervirens
Binomial name
Solidago sempervirens
L.
Synonyms[1]
  • Aster sempervirens (L.) Kuntze
  • Dasiorima limonifolia Raf.
  • Dasiorima mexicana Raf.

Solidago sempervirens (seaside goldenrod) is a plant species in the genus Solidago of the Asteraceae family. It is native to eastern North America and parts of the Caribbean. It is an introduced species in the Great Lakes region and the Azores.

Description

S. sempervirens is a succulent, herbaceous perennial that reaches heights of 4–6 feet. Leaves are entire (toothless) and glabrous (hair-less), thicker than those of most other species in the genus. Flowers are found in radiate heads, which make up a terminal, paniculiform inflorescence with recurved-secund branches. This species blooms in late summer and well into the fall. Its fruits are wind-dispersed achenes. They are yellow often, and have sprouts of buds at the end of the short branches.

Distribution and habitat

In nature, S. sempervirens is primarily a plant of the seashore, and is accordingly found along the ocean from Mexico north to Newfoundland. It is naturally found inland along the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Great Lakes, and has expanded its range further inland along roadsides over the past 30 years. It is highly tolerant of both saline soils and salt spray, and is usually found growing on coastal dunes and in salt marshes.

Ecology

S. sempervirens is a seashore plant with a high salinity tolerance. It is occasionally cultivated as an ornamental, preferring sunny locations with sandy soil, with little competition from other species.

References

  1. ↑ The Plant List, Solidago sempervirens

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Solidago sempervirens.