Elm-Leaved Goldenrod -- Solidago ulmifolia Wild Cherry Farm
Elm-Leaved Goldenrod -- Solidago ulmifolia Wild Cherry Farm

Elm-Leaved Goldenrod (Solidago ulmifolia)

$5.00

Elm-Leaved Goldenrod, like most Goldenrods, has very high value to pollinators, especially the specialists. The nectar and pollen of the flowers attract a wide variety of insects, especially native bees (illinoiswildflower.info). It is also the host plant to 135 species of butterflies and moths in our area (nwf.org) as well as the host to an incredible 43 specialist bees (Holm, 2017) (Johnson and Colla, 2023). It is also great to have a Goldenrod that blooms in the shade! Goldenrods in general provide so many ecosystem services even when most other plants are shutting down for the season. Just something to keep in mind, goldenrods do not cause hay fever! Their pollen is too heavy, it is the wind-pollinated (but not as visually obvious) ragweed that causes it.

Photo credit: Joshua Mayer

Elm-Leaved Goldenrod, like most Goldenrods, has very high value to pollinators, especially the specialists. The nectar and pollen of the flowers attract a wide variety of insects, especially native bees (illinoiswildflower.info). It is also the host plant to 135 species of butterflies and moths in our area (nwf.org) as well as the host to an incredible 43 specialist bees (Holm, 2017) (Johnson and Colla, 2023). It is also great to have a Goldenrod that blooms in the shade! Goldenrods in general provide so many ecosystem services even when most other plants are shutting down for the season. Just something to keep in mind, goldenrods do not cause hay fever! Their pollen is too heavy, it is the wind-pollinated (but not as visually obvious) ragweed that causes it.

Photo credit: Joshua Mayer

Life Cycle: Perennial

Sun Exposure: Partial shade -Shade

Soil Moisture: Medium – Medium/dry

Height: 1.5-3 feet

Plant Spacing: 2-3 feet

Bloom Time: July-October

Bloom Color: Yellow

Advantages: Caterpillar Favorite, Pollinator Favorite, Bird Favorite, Deer Resistant, Great Landscaping plant

Host Plant: 135 species of butterflies and moths use this as a caterpillar host plant in our area (nwf.org)

Specialist Bee: Andrena aliciae, A. apacheorum, A. asteris, A. braccata, A. canadensis, A. Chromotricha, A. hirticincta, A. nubecula, A. placata, A. simplex, Perdita octomaculata, P. swenki, Pseudopanurgis aestivalis, P. andrenoides, P. compositarum, P. labrosiformis, P. solidaginis, Melissodes agilis, M. boltoniae, M. coloradensis, M. coreopsis, M. dentiventris, M. druriellus, M. fumosus, M. illatus, M. menuachus, M. microstictus, M. niveus, M. trinodis, M. wheeleri, Colletes americanus, C. compactus, C. rufocinctus, C. simulans, C. solidaginis, C. speculiferus, Dieunomia heteropoda, Dianthidium simile, Dufourea marginata, Megachile inimical, M. parallela, M. xylocopoides, and Ashmeadiella bucconis  (Holm, 2017) (Johnson and Colla, 2023)

Resource: Holm, Heather. Bees: An Identification and Native Plant Forage Guide. Pollination Press LLC, 2017

Resource: Johnson, Lorraine, and Sheila Colla. A Northern Gardener’s Guide to Native Plants and Pollinators: Creating Habitat in the Northeast, Great Lakes, and Upper Midwest. Island Press, 2023

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