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Native Plant Society of Texas

Stiff Goldenrod

Solidago rigida

Other common name(s):

Hard-leaf Goldenrod

Family:

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

Cross Timbers, East Central Texas Plains, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, Western Gulf Coastal Plain
Carbonate Cross Timbers, Eastern Cross Timbers, Grand Prairie, Limestone Cut Plain, Western Cross Timbers
Northern Post Oak Savanna, Northern Prairie Outliers
Northern Humid Gulf Coastal Prairies
Flatwoods, Pleistocene Fluvial Terraces, Red River Bottomlands, Southern Tertiary Uplands

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Herbaceous

Height

1
to
3
ft.

Spread

.5
to
1
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Sand, Calcareous, Moist, Dry

Light Requirement

Sun

Water Requirement

Low, Medium, High

Native Habitat

Grassland, Woodland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Yellow

Bloom Season

Summer, Fall

Seasonal Interest

Seeds, Forage, Nectar, Pollen

Wildlife Benefit

Browsers, Butterflies, Birds, Bees

Maintenance

Low maintenance. Plants are tough and adaptable. Native habitat: prairies and dry woods. Sometimes develops red fall color. In rich moist sites, this species may flop over or prolifically reseed. If self-sowing is a problem, spent flowers should be removed before the seeds ripen. This species is relatively pest free, except for occasional powdery mildew. Works well for butterfly gardens, restoration projects, meadows. mass plantings. Not common in plant nurseries but seeds are available commercially. Propagation: seed, clump division.

Comments

Blooms August-October. The plant is tall and coarse with branched, hairy stems. Leaves are lance shaped or elliptical. They are soft gray-green with smooth or toothed margins and a wedge shaped base. Forms a dense, rounded or flat-topped, terminal cluster of dark yellow, bell-shaped flowers The fruit is a cypsela: angular seeds crowned by tufts of hair.
Previous Scientific Name(s): Oligoneuron rigidum

References

Stiff Goldenrod

Solidago rigida

Other names:

Hard-leaf Goldenrod

Family:

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

Characteristics
Growth Form:
Herbaceous
Height:
1
to
3
ft.
Spread:
.5
to
1
ft.
Leaf Retention:
Deciduous
Lifespan:
Perennial
Soil:
Sand, Calcareous, Moist, Dry
Light:
Sun
Water:
Low, Medium, High
Native Habitat:
Grassland, Woodland
Photo Credit: Bransford, W.D. and Dolphia, https://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=11331
Cross Timbers, East Central Texas Plains, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, Western Gulf Coastal Plain
Carbonate Cross Timbers, Eastern Cross Timbers, Grand Prairie, Limestone Cut Plain, Western Cross Timbers
Northern Post Oak Savanna, Northern Prairie Outliers
Northern Humid Gulf Coastal Prairies
Flatwoods, Pleistocene Fluvial Terraces, Red River Bottomlands, Southern Tertiary Uplands
Color:
Yellow
Season:
Summer, Fall
Seasonal Interest:
Seeds, Forage, Nectar, Pollen
Wildlife Benefit:
Browsers, Butterflies, Birds, Bees
Low maintenance. Plants are tough and adaptable. Native habitat: prairies and dry woods. Sometimes develops red fall color. In rich moist sites, this species may flop over or prolifically reseed. If self-sowing is a problem, spent flowers should be removed before the seeds ripen. This species is relatively pest free, except for occasional powdery mildew. Works well for butterfly gardens, restoration projects, meadows. mass plantings. Not common in plant nurseries but seeds are available commercially. Propagation: seed, clump division.
Blooms August-October. The plant is tall and coarse with branched, hairy stems. Leaves are lance shaped or elliptical. They are soft gray-green with smooth or toothed margins and a wedge shaped base. Forms a dense, rounded or flat-topped, terminal cluster of dark yellow, bell-shaped flowers The fruit is a cypsela: angular seeds crowned by tufts of hair.
Previous Scientific Name(s): Oligoneuron rigidum

About the Region

Fall Symposium 2025 Logo - Teach for the Future

Salado, the location of our Fall 2025 Symposium, lies at the intersection of two ecoregions: the Edwards Plateau (Limestone Cut Plain) and Blackland Prairie (Northern Blackland Prairie).

The Edwards Plateau area is also called the Hill Country; however, this general term covers a much larger area extending farther north. Spring-fed creeks are found throughout the region; deep limestone canyons, rivers, and lakes (reservoirs) are common. Ashe juniper is perhaps the most common woody species found throughout the region. Additional woody species include various species of oak, with live oak (Quercus fusiformis) being the most common. Sycamores (Platanus occidentalis) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) border waterways. This area is well known for its spring wildflower displays, though they may be viewed in spring, late summer, and fall, as well. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, average annual rainfall in the Edwards Plateau ranges from 15 to 34 inches.

The Blackland Prairie extends from the Red River south to San Antonio, bordered on the west by the Edwards Plateau and the Cross Timbers, and on the east by the Post Oak Savannah. Annual rainfall averages 30 to 40 inches, with higher averages to the east. This region is dominated by prairie species. The most common grass species include little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) in the uplands and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the riparian areas and drainages. Common herbaceous flowering plants include salvias, penstemons, and silphiums. This area has suffered greatly from overgrazing and agricultural use. Few intact areas remain, though many of the plants can be found along county roadsides throughout the region.

Our four host chapters (New Braunfels, Lindheimer, Guadalupe, and the Hill Country chapters) are located in one or both of the ecoregions above. However, the eastern portion of Guadalupe County also falls within the Post Oak Savanna ecoregion. Annual rainfall averages 35 to 45 inches, with higher averages to the east. A wide variety of hardwood trees are found, including several species of oaks, elms, and in the Bastrop area, loblolly pine (Pinus taeda). Grasses and forbs dominate in the open savannas, with most common grass being little bluestem. Ranching, agriculture, and fire suppression have allowed woody species to encroach on the once-open savannas.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason