Early Goldenrod
Solidago juncea
Found in meadows, pastures, roadbanks, woodland borders. FloraQuest, phone app (app page) What its natural habitat tells you
95
Keystone
Native to Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?
Profile 94%
- Height
- 1.5–4 feet
- Spread
- 2–3 feet
- Light
- Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil moisture
- Dry to average
Space about 2.5 ft apart from its recorded spread, about 16 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 81 Virginia counties.
Natural habitats
Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.
1 of 3
Open, grassy or flowery ground that is not wet, such as mountain meadows; wet meadows are separate.
Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground
Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.
Also found with this plant
Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 146 animals.
- Mourning DoveZenaida macroura
- Northern FlickerColaptes auratus
- Northern MockingbirdMimus polyglottos
- Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicus
- OspreyPandion haliaetus
- Pine SiskinCarduelis pinus
- Purple FinchCarpodacus purpureus
- Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensis
- Red-headed WoodpeckerMelanerpes erythrocephalus
- Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensis
- Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus
- Ruby-crowned KingletRegulus calendula
- Ruffed GrouseBonasa umbellus
- Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatus
- Spotted SandpiperActitis macularius
- Tufted TitmouseBaeolophus bicolor
- Turkey VultureCathartes aura
- White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensis
- Wood ThrushHylocichla mustelina
- Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus varius
- Yellow-billed CuckooCoccyzus americanus
- Yellow-breasted ChatIcteria virens
- Yellow-rumped WarblerDendroica coronata
- Alder FlycatcherEmpidonax alnorum
Ecological relationships
Who uses this plant?
117CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA
Genus host records with ranges including VA · Solidago
- Aethes sexdentataSix-Toothed Aethes
- Agnorisma badinodisPale-Banded Dart
- Agonopterix pulvipennellaGoldenrod Leaffolder, Featherduster Agonopterix
- Agrotis gladiariaSwordsman Dart, Clay-Backed Cut-Worm
- Agrotis vetustaOld Man Dart
- Alsophila pometariaFall Cankerworm Moth
- Amorbia humerosanaWhite-Lined Leafroller Moth
- Anania funebrisWhite-Spotted Sable Moth
- Anavitrinella pampinariaCommon Gray, Cranberry Spanworm
- Ancylis floridanaStrawberry Leafroller
Show all 117
- Archips purpuranaOmnivorous Leafroller Moth
- Argyrotaenia velutinanaRed-Banded Leafroller Moth, Jack Pine Tube Moth
- Bucculatrix angustataNarrow Bucculatrix
- Catabena lineolataFine-Lined Sallow
- Chlorochlamys chloroleucariaBlackberry Looper Moth
- Chlosyne harrisiiHarris' Checkerspot
- Chlosyne nycteisSilvery Checkerspot
- Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
- Chrysodeixis includensSoybean Looper Moth
- Cisseps fulvicollisYellow-Collared Scape Moth
- Clepsis clemensianaClemens' Clepsis
- Clepsis persicanaWhite Triangle Tortrix
- 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
- Cucullia floreaGray Hooded Owlet
- Cucullia speyeriSpeyer's Cucullia, Speyer's Paint
- Dichomeris bilobellaBilobed Dichomeris Moth
- 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 formosanaBeautiful Phaneta
- Eucosma ochroterminanaBuff-Tipped Phaneta
- Eucosma raracanaReddish Eucosma, Reddish Phaneta
- Euphydryas phaetonThe Baltimore, The Black Checker
- Eupithecia miserulataCommon Eupithacia, Common Pug
- Eupsilia deviaLost Sallow
- Eusarca confusariaConfused Eusarca
- Evora hemidesmaSpirea Leaftier
- Feltia jaculiferaDingy Cutworm
- Gnorimoschema gallaeasterellaGoldenrod Gall Moth
- 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
- Melanchra adjunctaHitched Arches
- Melanchra assimilisBlack Arches
- Nephelodes miniansBronzed Cutworm
- Orthodes cynicaCynical Quaker, Cynical Groundcat
- Orthodes majusculaRustic Quaker, Rustic Groundcat
- Ostrinia obumbratalisSmartweed Borer
- Palthis angulalisDark-Spotted Palthis
- Papaipema duovataSeaside Golden Rod Borer
- Papaipema rutilaMayapple Borer
- 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 canadanaCanadian Sonia Moth
- Sonia constrictanaConstricted Sonia
- Sparganothis distinctaDistinct Sparganothis
- Sparganothis sulfureanaSparganothis Fruitworm Moth, Sulfur Leafroller, False Yellow-Head
- Sparganothis unifascianaOne-Lined Sparganothis
- Spodoptera ornithogalliYellow-Striped Armyworm Moth, Cotton Cutworm
- Synchlora aerataWavy-Lined Emerald, Camouflaged Looper
- Synchlora frondariaSouthern Emerald
- Tricholita notataX
- Tricholita signataSignate Quaker, Signate Groundcat
- Trichordestra legitimaStriped Garden Caterpillar Moth
- Udea rubigalisCelery Leaftier
- Utetheisa ornatrixOrnate Moth, Pink Underwing, Rattlebox Moth, Bella Moth
- Xanthotype urticariaFalse Crocus Geometer
- Xestia c-nigrumSpotted Cut-Worm, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Lesser Black-letter Dart
- Xestia dolosaGreater Black-Letter Dart, Greater Spotted Cutworm
- Xestia smithiiSmith's Dart
- Zale lunataLunate Zale
- Anania mysippusalis
- Astrotischeria solidagonifoliella
- Bucculatrix solidaginiella
- Dichomeris agonia
- Epiblema desertana
- Epiblema mandana
- Epiblema obfuscana
- Epiblema resumptana
- Eucosma radiatana
- Gnorimoschema salinaris
- Hahncappsia marculenta
- Hellinsia glenni
- Hellinsia lacteodactylus
- Helvibotys helvialis
- Herpetogramma aquilonalis
- Pelochrista vagana
- 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
No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects
Growing and identification
Plant details
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Hardiness
- Zones 3a–8b
- Flower color
- Yellow
Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.
Growing sources and scope
- Bloom · “July to October” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) (ranked first; Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
- Flower color · “Yellow” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Hardiness · “Zones 3a–8b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder differs)
- Height · “1.5–4 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Tennessee Smart Yards, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ)
- Life cycle · “Perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Tennessee Smart Yards, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ)
- primary_flower_color · “yellow” · Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide
- Soil · “Occasionally dry” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Tennessee Smart Yards, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ)
- Spread · “2–3 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Conservation status
| Virginia rank | S5 |
|---|---|
| Global rank | G5 |
| VA 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.
Sources
- Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora
- USDA PLANTS
- Vascular Plants of North Carolina (NC Natural Heritage Program)
- FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Weakley), phone app (app page)
- NatureServe Explorer
- 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