Solidago bicolor (White Goldenrod)

Solidago bicolor (White Goldenrod) is a herbaceous perennial wildflower boasting an elongated spike of short-stalked flower heads with white to creamy-white rays surrounding a yellow central disk. Blooming in midsummer to fall, they attract butterflies, bees, and songbirds eat the seeds. The blossoms are borne atop hairy, grayish stems clad with stalked, shallowly toothed leaves, 2-4 in. long (5-10 cm), covered with a gray down. Easy to grow, low care and trouble free, White Goldenrod is the only species of Solidago with white rays found on the east coast.

• Grows up to 1-3 ft. tall (30-90 cm) and 12-18 in. wide (30-45 cm).
• Performs best in full sun or part shade, in average, dry to moist, well-drained soils. It is not fussy about soils and tolerates clay soils, dry soils or poor soils. Drought tolerant once established.
• Vital ingredient of late summer and fall borders, cottage gardens, butterfly gardens.
• Attractive to birds, bees and butterflies, it is deer resistant.
• Deadhead spent flowers to avoid self-seeding.
• Propagate by division.
• Leaves and berries contain the poisonous alkaloid solanine. Although the toxic quality of the berries seems to disappear with ripening, it is best not to eat them.
• Native to North America, Manitoba east to Nova Scotia, south to Georgia, west to Louisiana, and north to Illinois and Wisconsin.