Solidago rugosa ‘Fireworks’

“Rough Goldenrod”

Asteraceae

Solidago rugosa, commonly known as “Rough goldenrod” is a bright yellow flowering herbaceous perennial that dots gardens, fields, landscapes, and roadsides throughout the Eastern US. ‘Fireworks’ is a popular cultivar, introduced in the early 2000’s by plantsmen Ken Moore, and is an alternative the straight species. Its distinctive feature being the blooms, rather than the typical compact blooms of S. rugosa ‘Fireworks’ has elongated plumes which, when in flower, mirror that of shooting fireworks, showering the landscape with yellow.

Cultivar or not, this species can be aggressive at times in the landscape and should be monitored as seeding is common. This plant however is attractive to pollinators due to its bright yellow blooms, bees in particular.