Elmleaf Goldenrod
Solidago ulmifolia
92
Keystone
Native to Alabama. How scores work Is it native here?
Profile 94%
- Height
- 1–4 feet
- Spread
- 1–3 feet
- Light
- Part sun
- Soil moisture
- Somewhat dry to average
Space about 2 ft apart from its recorded spread, about 25 per 100 sq ft. Enter your bed size for a count
Will it fit your yard?
At a glance
- Life cycle
- Perennial
- Bloom
- July to October
JFMAMJJASOND
Not yet recorded · Leaves
Recorded in 44 Alabama counties.
Also found with this plant
Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Alabama. Shared habitat, not food. 110 animals.
- Fish CrowCorvus ossifragus
- Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatus
- Lark SparrowChondestes grammacus
- Lincoln's SparrowMelospiza lincolnii
- Loggerhead ShrikeLanius ludovicianus
- Northern BobwhiteColinus virginianus
- Northern Rough-winged SwallowStelgidopteryx serripennis
- Orchard OrioleIcterus spurius
- Prairie WarblerDendroica discolor
- Prothonotary WarblerProtonotaria citrea
- Tree SwallowTachycineta bicolor
- VeeryCatharus fuscescens
- White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrys
- White-winged DoveZenaida asiatica
Ecological relationships
Who uses this plant?
87CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including AL
Genus host records with ranges including AL · Solidago
- Agnorisma badinodisPale-Banded Dart
- Agrotis gladiariaSwordsman Dart, Clay-Backed Cut-Worm
- Agrotis vetustaOld Man Dart
- Alsophila pometariaFall Cankerworm Moth
- Amorbia humerosanaWhite-Lined Leafroller Moth
- Anavitrinella pampinariaCommon Gray, Cranberry Spanworm
- Ancylis floridanaStrawberry Leafroller
- Archips purpuranaOmnivorous Leafroller Moth
- Argyrotaenia ivanaIvana Leafroller Moth
- Argyrotaenia velutinanaRed-Banded Leafroller Moth, Jack Pine Tube Moth
Show all 87
- Bucculatrix angustataNarrow Bucculatrix
- Chlorochlamys chloroleucariaBlackberry Looper Moth
- Chlosyne nycteisSilvery Checkerspot
- Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
- Chrysodeixis includensSoybean Looper Moth
- Cisseps fulvicollisYellow-Collared Scape Moth
- Condica sutorThe Cobbler, Cobbler Groundling
- Condica vidensWhite-Dotted Groundling
- Cremastobombycia solidaginisGoldenrod Leafminer
- Ctenoplusia oxygrammaSharp-Stigma Looper Moth
- Cucullia asteroidesThe Asteroid, Asteroid Paint, Goldenrod Hooded Owlet
- Cucullia convexipennisBrown Hooded Owlet, Calico Paint
- Dichomeris flavocostellaCream-Edged Dichomeris
- Dichomeris inserrataIndented Dichomeris
- Dichomeris juncidellaOrange-Dotted Dichomeris
- Dichomeris ochripalpellaShining Dichomeris Moth
- Dichomeris setosellaHairy Dichomeris
- Endothenia hebesanaVerbena Bud Moth
- Epiblema otiosanaBidens Borer Moth
- Epiblema scudderianaScudder's Epiblema, Goldenrod Gall Moth
- Epiblema tripartitanaThree-Parted Epiblema
- Episimus argutanaSumac Leaftier
- Eucosma raracanaReddish Eucosma, Reddish Phaneta
- Euphydryas phaetonThe Baltimore, The Black Checker
- Eupithecia miserulataCommon Eupithacia, Common Pug
- Eusarca confusariaConfused Eusarca
- Feltia jaculiferaDingy Cutworm
- Gnorimoschema gallaesolidaginisGoldenrod Gall Moth
- Gnorimoschema jocelynaeX
- Helicoverpa zeaCorn Earworm Moth
- Hellinsia kellicottiiGoldenrod Borer Plume Moth
- Herpetogramma aeglealisSerpentine Webworm
- Herpetogramma pertextalisBold-Feathered Grass Moth
- Herpetogramma thestealisZigzag Herpetogramma, Subtle-Feathered Grass Moth
- Iridopsis humariaSmall Purplish Gray
- Iridopsis larvariaBent-Line Gray
- Lacinipolia meditataThe Thinker
- Leuconycta diphteroidesGreen Leuconycta
- Lioptilodes albistriolatusMousy Plume Moth
- Nephelodes miniansBronzed Cutworm
- Orthodes cynicaCynical Quaker, Cynical Groundcat
- Orthodes majusculaRustic Quaker, Rustic Groundcat
- Ostrinia obumbratalisSmartweed Borer
- Palthis angulalisDark-Spotted Palthis
- Pelochrista cataclystianaSolidaga Eucosma, Solidaga Pelochrista
- Pelochrista derelictaDerelict Eucosma
- Pelochrista dorsisignatanaTriangle-Backed Eucosma
- Pelochrista robinsonanaRobinson's Pelochrista, Robinson's Eucosma
- Pelochrista similianaSimilar Eucosma
- Platynota idaeusalisTufted Apple-Bud Moth
- Platynota stultanaOmnivorous Leafroller
- Pleuroprucha insulsariaCommon Tan Wave
- Pseudeustrotia carneolaPink-Barred Lithacodia, Pink-Barred Pseudeustrotia
- Schinia nundinaGoldenrod Flower Moth
- Sonia constrictanaConstricted Sonia
- Sparganothis distinctaDistinct Sparganothis
- Sparganothis sulfureanaSparganothis Fruitworm Moth, Sulfur Leafroller, False Yellow-Head
- Spodoptera ornithogalliYellow-Striped Armyworm Moth, Cotton Cutworm
- Synchlora aerataWavy-Lined Emerald, Camouflaged Looper
- Synchlora frondariaSouthern Emerald
- Tricholita signataSignate Quaker, Signate Groundcat
- Udea rubigalisCelery Leaftier
- Utetheisa ornatrixOrnate Moth, Pink Underwing, Rattlebox Moth, Bella Moth
- Xanthotype urticariaFalse Crocus Geometer
- Xestia dolosaGreater Black-Letter Dart, Greater Spotted Cutworm
- Zale lunataLunate Zale
- Bucculatrix magnella
- Dichomeris agonia
- Epiblema desertana
- Epiblema obfuscana
- Hahncappsia marculenta
- Hellinsia glenni
- Hellinsia lacteodactylus
- Helvibotys helvialis
- Isophrictis similiella
- Pelochrista mobilensis
- Xenotemna pallorana
82BeesSoutheastern regional records
Southeastern regional records · Solidago
Individual names are not available yet.
Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
36Specialist beesPollen specialists
Pollen specialists · Solidago
- Andrena asteris
- Andrena braccata
- Andrena canadensis
- Andrena chromotricha
- Andrena fulvipennis
- Andrena hirticincta
- Andrena nubecula
- Andrena placata
- Andrena simplex
- Calliopsis coloradensis
Show all 36
- Colletes americanus
- Colletes compactus
- Colletes rufocinctus
- Colletes simulans
- Colletes solidaginis
- Colletes speculiferus
- Colletes thysanellae
- Dianthidium simile
- Megachile inimica
- Megachile xylocopoides
- Melissodes coreopsis
- Melissodes dentiventris
- Melissodes druriellus
- Melissodes fumosus
- Melissodes illatus
- Melissodes niveus
- Melissodes trinodis
- Perdita boltoniae
- Perdita bruneri
- Perdita laticincta
- Perdita octomaculata
- Perdita swenki
- Protandrena aestivalis
- Protandrena andrenoides
- Protandrena citripes
- Protandrena compositarum
2BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim
Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Solidago
- Centrocercus urophasianusGreater Sage-Grouse
- Meleagris gallopavoWild Turkey
Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening
Flies 8
- Archytas aterrima
- Exoprosopa decora
- Geron rufipes
- Morellia micans
- Peleteria robusta
- Siphona geniculata
- Spilomyia longicornis
- Syrphus americanus
Flower visits · Carlinville, Illinois, USA
Other wasps 7
- Ancistrocerus tigris
- Cerceris prominens
- Eumenes fraternus
- Leionotus scrophulariae
- Polistes annularis
- Polistes pallipes
- Sphex vulgaris
Flower visits · Carlinville, Illinois, USA
Other insects 1
- Lygus pratensis
Flower visits · Carlinville, Illinois, USA
No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Adult butterflies / moths
Growing and identification
Plant details
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Hardiness
- Zones 3–8
- Flower color
- Yellow
What its natural habitat tells you
Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.
Growing sources and scope
- Bloom · “July to October” · Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide · Nursery cultural guide; height in flower; moisture categories retained as printed
- Flower color · “Yellow” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
- Hardiness · “Zones 3–8” · Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder
- Height · “1–4 feet” · Tennessee Smart Yards (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, Minnesota Wildflowers, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ) · Published Tennessee growing guidance; exact cached scientific heading
- Life cycle · “Perennial” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
- Light · “Part sun” · Tennessee Smart Yards (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ) · Published Tennessee growing guidance; exact cached scientific heading
- primary_flower_color · “yellow” · Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide
- Soil · “medium to moderately dry” · Tennessee Smart Yards (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ) · Published Tennessee growing guidance; exact cached scientific heading
- Spread · “1–3 feet” · Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder
Also known as
Elm Leaf Goldenrod
Conservation status
| Alabama rank | SNR |
|---|---|
| Global rank | G5 |
| AL status | Not verified |
| Federal status | Not verified |
In your garden
Will it fit your yard?
Check this plant against your county, sun and soil moisture. Conditions are checked in your browser.
Choose a county to begin.
Growing cautions
- Spreads by rhizomes. Will naturalize by rhizomes and by self-seeding under optimum conditions. Tennessee Smart Yards
For planning only; these do not change the score or Fit.
Sources
- Alabama Plant Atlas
- USDA PLANTS
- Vascular Plants of North Carolina (NC Natural Heritage Program)
- Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
- Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
- Smith, Bachelder, Russell, Morales, Mosher & Seltmann 2024, Bee-Specialization-Modeling v0.6.1 (specialist host table compiled from J. Fowler's pollen specialist bee lists), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
- Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)
- Narango, Tallamy & Shropshire 2020, Few keystone plant genera support the majority of Lepidoptera species, Nature Communications