About Solidago speciosa Nutt.
Solidago speciosa, commonly known as showy goldenrod, is a North American flowering species belonging to the Asteraceae family. Its distribution includes the Canadian province of Ontario in central Canada, and the eastern and central United States. In the U.S., it ranges from the Atlantic coast westward to the Great Plains, occurring from Maine to Georgia (with the exception of Delaware), and extending west to Texas, Nebraska, and the Dakotas. Solidago speciosa is a perennial herb that can grow up to 200 cm (80 inches, over 6 feet) tall, and forms a thick underground caudex. A single plant can produce up to 5 stems, each of which bears up to 300 small yellow flower heads. Two varieties are recognized: Solidago speciosa var. rigidiuscula Torr. & A.Gray, which is found mostly in the western portions of the species' overall range, and Solidago speciosa var. speciosa, which occurs mostly in the eastern portions of the range.
