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Bluestem Goldenrod

Solidago caesia

Found in moist forested slopes. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

95
Keystone

Native to West Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 100%

Height
1–4 feet
Spread
1.5–3 feet
Light
Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture
Somewhat dry to moist

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
Leaves
Deciduous
Bloom
August to October
Fruiting season
Fall

Recorded in 18 West Virginia counties.

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in West Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 103 animals.

All wildlife of West Virginia

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

115CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including WV

Genus host records with ranges including WV · 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 115
  • 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
  • Dejongia lobidactylusLobed Plume Moth
  • Dichomeris aleatrixBuffy Dichomeris Moth
  • Dichomeris bilobellaBilobed Dichomeris Moth
  • Dichomeris flavocostellaCream-Edged Dichomeris
  • Dichomeris inserrataIndented Dichomeris
  • Dichomeris juncidellaOrange-Dotted Dichomeris
  • Dichomeris leuconotellaTwo-Spotted Dichomeris
  • Dichomeris nonstrigellaLittle Devil, The Little Devil
  • 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
  • Eucosma umbrastrianaShaded 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
  • 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
  • Pelochrista cataclystianaSolidaga Eucosma, Solidaga Pelochrista
  • Pelochrista derelictaDerelict Eucosma
  • Pelochrista dorsisignatanaTriangle-Backed Eucosma
  • Pelochrista robinsonanaRobinson's Pelochrista, Robinson's Eucosma
  • Pelochrista similianaSimilar Eucosma
  • Phragmatobia fuliginosaRuby Tiger Moth
  • Platynota idaeusalisTufted Apple-Bud Moth
  • 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
  • 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
  • Astrotischeria solidagonifoliella
  • Bucculatrix magnella
  • Bucculatrix solidaginiella
  • Bucculatrix speciosa
  • Dichomeris agonia
  • Dichomeris levisella
  • Epiblema desertana
  • Epiblema obfuscana
  • Epiblema resumptana
  • Hahncappsia marculenta
  • Hellinsia glenni
  • Hellinsia lacteodactylus
  • Helvibotys helvialis
  • Herpetogramma aquilonalis
  • Xenotemna pallorana
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
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
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
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
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

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 4a–8b
Flower color
Yellow
Growth rate
Moderate
Growth habit
Spreads by rhizomes
Foliage color
Dark green
Fruit begins
Fall
Fruit ends
Fall

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope
  • Bloom · “August to October” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
  • Flower color · “Yellow” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
  • Foliage color · “Dark green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Fruit begins · “Fall” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Species profile fruit display season; not a local ripening date
  • Fruit ends · “Fall” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox · Species profile fruit display season; not a local ripening date
  • Growth habit · “Spreads by rhizomes” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Growth rate · “Moderate” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Hardiness · “Zones 4a–8b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder differs)
  • Height · “1–4 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Tennessee Smart Yards, USDA PLANTS, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ)
  • Leaves · “Deciduous” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
  • 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, Virginia DCR Piedmont, Virginia DCR Coastal Plain, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ)
  • primary_flower_color · “yellow” · Missouri Botanical Garden: Solidago caesia
  • Soil · “Moist; Occasionally dry” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Tennessee Smart Yards, Virginia DCR Piedmont, Virginia DCR Coastal Plain, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ)
  • Spread · “1.5–3 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Conservation status

West Virginia rankS5
Global rankG5
WV statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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How to check your spot

Growing cautions

  • Spreads by rhizomes. USDA PLANTS lists its growth form as rhizomatous. USDA PLANTS

For planning only; these do not change the score or Fit.

Sources