Alternate name: White Goldenrod

Family: Asteraceae, Aster view all from this family

Description An elongated spike of short-stalked flower heads with white to yellowish-white rays surrounding a yellow central disk atop a hairy, grayish stem.
Habit: native perennial herb; erect stem, usually single, hairy overall
Height: 6-40 in (15-100 cm)
Leaf: at base, elliptical, hairy above and below, shallowly toothed, with a winged stalk, 1-8 in (35-210 mm) long, .5-2 in (15-50 mm) wide; becoming much smaller, narrower, stalkless above.
Flower: small button, white to cream to pale yellow, 1/4 in (6 mm) wide; in a terminal spike, 10 in (25 cm) long.
Fruit: dry seed, .125 in (3 mm) long.

Flower July to October.

Habitat Sandy and clay soils, poor soils, dry open woods and clearings, rocky slopes, roadsides, disturbed sites; to 3300 ft (1000 m).

Range Manitoba east to Nova Scotia, south to Georgia, west to Louisiana, and north to Missouri, Illinois and Wisconsin.

Discussion Also known as: white goldenrod. This is the only Solidago with white rays in the East. Hairy Goldenrod (S. hispida) has yellow rays; it is found from New England south to Georgia, west to Arkansas, and north to Illinois and Minnesota.