Autumn Goldenrod

Solidago sphacelata

Found in rock outcrops and dry rocky forests, usually over calcareous or mafic rocks. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

Keystone

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

Profile 88%

Height: 1–6 feet
Spread: 1–1.5 feet
Light: Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture: Somewhat dry to moist

Space about 1 ft apart from its recorded spread, about 100 per 100 sq ft. Enter your bed size for a count

Will it fit your yard?

Solidago sphacelata — foliage photograph — no rights reserved · CC0 · Original photograph

At a glance

Life cycle: Perennial

Not yet recorded · Leaves · Bloom

Bloom: NC species account not read yet.

Leaves: no source found yet.

This plant is missing most of its facts, so Quercus is looking them up in old botany books.

Recorded in 5 West 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

Glades, barrens and outcrops on limestone

Open, thin-soil openings and rock on limestone, dolomite or other lime-rich rock, including cedar glades.

Glades, barrens and outcrops on mafic or serpentine rock

Open, thin-soil openings, outcrops and cliffs on dark, magnesium- or iron-rich rock such as serpentine, diabase or gabbro.

Forests and woodlands

Forest or woodland where the source does not say how moist or dry.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in West Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 62 animals.

Red-winged Blackbird
Agelaius phoeniceus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Pheucticus ludovicianus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Archilochus colubris
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Ruffed Grouse
Bonasa umbellus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Scarlet Tanager
Piranga olivacea
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Swainson's Warbler
Limnothlypis swainsonii
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Veery
Catharus fuscescens
Birds. 1 shared habitat
White-breasted Nuthatch
Sitta carolinensis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
White-eyed Vireo
Vireo griseus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
White-throated Sparrow
Zonotrichia albicollis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Wood Thrush
Hylocichla mustelina
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Worm-eating Warbler
Helmitheros vermivorum
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus varius
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Coccyzus americanus
Birds. 1 shared habitat

Widespread birds also seen here (38)

Found in many habitats here, so not listed above.

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

1BirdsRecorded eating Solidago in West Virginia

Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Birds whose range includes West Virginia, most records first.

Wild Turkey2 diet records

Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab)

Direct food only. 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

Birds that eat Solidago 1

Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab), CC0 1.0.

Wild Turkey
Meleagris gallopavo
2 diet records

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Asteraceae
Hardiness: Zones 5a–7b
Soil pH: Acidic to neutral
Flower color: Yellow

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

Growing sources and scope

Flower color · “Yellow” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Hardiness · “Zones 5a–7b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Height · “1–6 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Tennessee Smart Yards, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center 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 differs)
primary_flower_color · “yellow” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Soil · “Moist; Occasionally dry” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Tennessee Smart Yards differs)
Soil pH · “Acidic to neutral” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Spread · “1–1.5 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Also known as

Fall Goldenrod

Conservation status

West Virginia rank	S4
Global rank	G4G5
WV status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

Will it fit your yard?

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How to check your spot

Growing cautions

Spreads by rhizomes. Spreads by rhizomes to form dense colonies. Tennessee Smart Yards

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

Autumn Goldenrod

At a glance

Natural habitats

Also found with this plant

Who uses this plant?

Birds that eat Solidago 1

Plant details

Conservation status

Will it fit your yard?

Growing cautions

Sources

More Solidago