Sweet Goldenrod is found in open woods and savannahs in coastal states from New Hampshire south to Florida and over to east Texas, and inland as far as Missouri. (In northern Florida there is a separate subspecies, Chapmanii.) It occurs in most of the counties of NC. Sweet Goldenrod grows to 2-3 feet in height and 1-2 feet across, with an anise or licorice scent, released by its leaves when crushed, that readily differentiates it from all its Solidago cousins. It tolerates poor, dry soils and light shade, but performs best in full sun and is a graceful presence in both the sunny garden and for difficult dry, shaded woodland garden locations. Bright golden flowers appear in August-September in orderly rows on the upper side of the plume branches. It is well behaved, unaggressive and drought tolerant, and the sessile leaves even provide fresh flavor for tea. Like other Goldenrods, Sweet Goldenrod attracts a range of flying critters to the yard, birds to butterflies to bees, providing high quality nutrition for a range of insect pollinators. And just in case you missed the memo, Goldenrods do not cause Hay Fever — that is a response to windborne pollen from species such as Ragweed.
