Alternate name: Hollow Goldenrod

Family: Asteraceae, Aster view all from this family

Description Bright yellow flowers held in a triangular array on upright hairy stems.
Habit: native perennial herb; 1-20+ stout, erect, very hairy stems; spreads by rhizome.
Height: 1.5-7 ft (.5-2 m)
Leaf: alternate, sparsely toothed or toothless, not wrinkled; ovate-oblong to lanceolate, rounded or pointed, tapering to the base, hairy; lower leaves, to 4 in (10 cm) long and 1.5 in (4 cm) wide; with winged stalk; above, smaller, sessile or nearly clasping.
Flower: tiny, golden yellow flowerheads, to 1/4 in (6 mm) high; held tightly clustered on one side of arching branch.
Fruit: dry seed, hairy, to 1/12 in (2 mm) long; tipped with soft bristles.

Flower August to November, or year-round further south.

Habitat Mostly wetter sandy soils: seepage areas, boggy grounds, edges of marshes and thickets, open pine woodlands, cypress-gum pond borders, shrub bogs, flatwoods, swamps, wet woods, savannas, swales, ditches, wet prairies, pocosins.

Range Native to coastal plains of southeastern U.S.: New Jersey to Florida to Louisiana; to 300 ft (100 m).

Discussion Also known as: tall goldenrod, canada goldenrod, common goldenrod, hollow goldenrod.