North Carolina Botanical Garden

Plant Index

Scientific Name:
Common Name:
Genus:
Family:

Solidago bicolor

Solidago bicolor L.

silverrod, white goldenrod

Image ID: 18840
Image by: Ware, Richard & Teresa
Image Collection: NCBG Digital Library

PLANT INDEX

ID_PLANT: SOBI
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Solidago bicolor
Include in WOTAS: 1
Publish to Web: 1
Last Modified: 2019-01-23

GENUS INDEX

GENUS CODE: SOLID
GENUS SCIENTIFIC: Solidago
GENUS AUTHORITY: L.
GENUS COMMON: Goldenrod
GENUS SUMMARY: A genus of 90-110 species, herbs, primarily North American, but with a few species in South America, Macaronesia, and Eurasia. The placement of the flat-topped goldenrods has been controversial; they are here included in Solidago rather than being treated as the separate genus Oligoneuron.
GENUS IDENTIFICATION: Identification notes: Several related genera readily mistaken for (and/or sometimes included in) Solidago are included here as keying �failsafes�.
GENUS REFERENCES: Semple & Cook in FNA (2006b); Semple & Peirson (2013)=V; Semple (2013)=U; Nesom (1990); Cronquist (1980)=SE; Morton (1973, 1974); Zhang (1996); Cook & Semple (2004); Nesom (1993b)=Z; Heard & Semple (1988)=Y; Brouillet & Semple (1981)=X; Cronquist (1980)=SE; Braun (1942). Portions of the key adapted (in part) from various sources, especially FNA and SE. [also see Brintonia, Chrysoma, and Euthamia]

FAMILY INDEX

FAMILY CODE: ASTERA
FAMILY SCIENTIFIC: Asteraceae
FAMILY AUTHORITY: Dumortier 1822 or COMPOSITAE Giseke 1792
FAMILY COMMON: Aster Family
FAMILY SUMMARY: A family of about 1500-1700 genera and 20,000-25,000 species, shrubs, herbs, trees, and vines, cosmopolitan in distribution.
FAMILY REFERENCE: Cronquist (1980)=SE throughout family treatment.

NCBG DESCRIPTIVES

INTRO: Erect, rhizomatous perennial of dry upland forests, rocky woodlands, barrens and road banks.
STEMS: Stems may be angular, usually unbranched and hairy.
LEAVES: Leaves basal and alternate on stem, petiolate (lower) to sessile (upper), oblong to oval, 1 1/2-4 in. long (reduced upward), toothed to entire, rough and hairy.
INFLORESCENCE:
FLOWERS: Composite flowers (heads) in a wand-like, leafy, terminal cluster that may branch; heads about 1/4 in. wide, consisting of 7-9 tiny, white to cream-colored ray florets encircling a center disk of tiny, cream-colored tubular florets.
FRUITS:
COMMENTS: Our only whitish goldenrod.
HEIGHT: 2-3 ft.

DURATION: Perennial
HABIT: Herb

LEAF ARRANGEMENT: Alternate, Basal
LEAF COMPLEXITY: Simple
LEAF RETENTION:

FLORAL CHARACTERISTICS
SYMMETRY: Mixed
BLOOM TIME: Jul-Oct

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
						x	x	x	x	x

BLOOM COLOR: White, yellowish-white

White	Red	Pink	Orange	Yellow	Green	Blue	Lavender	Purple	Violet	Brown	Not Applicable
x				x

FRUITING PERIOD:

DISTRIBUTION
HABITAT TYPE: Dry forests, Outcrops and glades, Woods margins
NATIVE RANGE: eastern North America

HORTICULTURAL
Plant Sale Text: This is the only goldenrod in Eastern North America with white flowers! This relatively short and upright perennial can be found growing in dry, thin woods throughout North Carolina. This is a drought tolerant plant. Also known as Belly-ache-weed, Native Americans were quick to use this plant if any pain seized their limbs or body. It is a unique addition to the fall garden, and combines well with asters and other late-blooming perennials.

Bloom Table Text:

NCBG Location:

Cultural Notes:

SOIL MOISTURE: Dry, Average
LIGHT EXPOSURE: Sun, Part Shade, Shade
MINIMUM HARDINESS ZONE: 3
MAXIMUM HARDINESS ZONE: 9
GERMINATION CODE:
WILDLIFE VALUE: Bee Friendly, Butterfly Friendly
DEER RESISTANCE:

GRIM ACCESSIONS

acc_id	acc_num	acc_dt	coll_id	Action
363	2011-0235	2011-11-29	367	View
2492	1986-2348			View
3284	1990-0141			View
4021	1992-0177			View
5275	1995-0395			View
6323	1995-1455			View
9381	2021-0044	2021-04-05	367	View

GRIM COLLECTIONS

Coll_id	Project	Collection date	Collector	Action
367	HORT	2009-12-03	Poythress	View
2131	NPMD	2020-11-22	Kunz	View
2549	NPMD	2021-11-19	Marzolf	View
2637	NPMD	2022-11-22	Marzolf	View

GRIM PLANTINGS

plt_num	acc_id	loc_num	pers_num	inst_dt	Action
879	363	28	NCBG staff	2011-10-27	View
880	363	16	NCBG staff	2011-11-20	View
881	363	12	Liloia	2012-08-13	View
882	363	15	Liloia	2012-08-13	View
883	363	19	Liloia	2012-08-16	View
4240	2492	27	NCBG staff	1986-12-31	View
5461	3284	8	NCBG staff	0000-00-00	View
6349	4021	200	NCBG staff	1993-03-01	View
7730	5275	203	NCBG staff	1992-01-01	View
8978	6323	2	NCBG staff	0000-00-00	View
12622	9381	232	Wait	2020-06-26	View
12623	9381	233	Wait	2020-06-26	View
12699	9381	16	NCBG staff	0000-00-00	View

USDA PLANTS DATABASE

USDA Symbol: SOBI
USDA Common Name: White Goldenrod
Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)
Distribution: USA (AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, GA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MO, MS, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, VT, WI, WV), CAN (MB, NB, NS, ON, PE, QC)
Duration: Perennial
Growth Habit: Forb/herb

WEAKLEY FLORA

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Solidago bicolor
COMMON NAME: Silverrod, White Goldenrod
SYNONYMY: [= C, FNA, G, Il, K, Pa, RAB, S, SE, Va, W, WV; > S. bicolor var. bicolor - F; > S. bicolor var. ovalis - F]
PHENOLOGY: Aug-Oct.
HABITAT: Woodlands, roadbanks, pastures.
COMMENTS: NS and MB south to GA and LA.
RANGE MAP: Solidago bicolor.png

Key to Map Symbols

ABOUT FAMILY (Weakley Flora)
Asteraceae Dumortier 1822 or COMPOSITAE Giseke 1792 (Aster Family)
SUMMARY: A family of about 1500-1700 genera and 20,000-25,000 species, shrubs, herbs, trees, and vines, cosmopolitan in distribution.
REFERENCE: Cronquist (1980)=SE throughout family treatment.

ABOUT GENUS (Weakley Flora)
Solidago L. (Goldenrod)
SUMMARY: A genus of 90-110 species, herbs, primarily North American, but with a few species in South America, Macaronesia, and Eurasia. The placement of the flat-topped goldenrods has been controversial; they are here included in Solidago rather than being treated as the separate genus Oligoneuron.
REFERENCE: Semple & Cook in FNA (2006b); Semple & Peirson (2013)=V; Semple (2013)=U; Nesom (1990); Cronquist (1980)=SE; Morton (1973, 1974); Zhang (1996); Cook & Semple (2004); Nesom (1993b)=Z; Heard & Semple (1988)=Y; Brouillet & Semple (1981)=X; Cronquist (1980)=SE; Braun (1942). Portions of the key adapted (in part) from various sources, especially FNA and SE. [also see Brintonia, Chrysoma, and Euthamia]

HERBARIUM RESOURCES

SERNEC: Find Solidago bicolor in Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available)
UNC SERNEC: Find Solidago bicolor in University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Herbarium - Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available)

WEB RESOURCES

USDA: Find Solidago bicolor in USDA Plants
NPIN: Find Solidago bicolor in NPIN Database
FNA: Find Solidago bicolor in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Solidago bicolor

IMAGE USE RECORDS

ID IMAGE: 18840 - Primary Image FloraQuest Plant Detail Page (Landscape Preferred)
ID IMAGE1: 18840 - Primary Image WOTAS
ID IMAGE2: 0 - Secondary Image WOTAS
ID IMAGE3: 0 - Primary Image Plant Sale Sign (Landscape Only)
ID IMAGE4: 0 - Primary Image New Plant Sale Label (Portrait Only)