​Solidago flexicaulis, Zigzag Goldenrod

This is one of the species that really drove home for me the extent to which the conventional horticultural industry has rejected native species.

Late season colour in dry, shaded gardens can be frustratingly elusive when working with most popular perennial landscape species. There is a reason that so many shaded landscapes rely on foliage texture and colour rather than blooms (Hostas anyone?).

But that reason isn’t because there aren’t any late blooming species for those areas. Heart Leaved Aster, posted yesterday, is one, Zigzag Goldenrod is another. There are a few more that I’ll be posting this week and others, like White Wood Aster and Large-leaved Aster, that have already appeared in this series.

All are disease resistant, tolerant of summer dry spells, have showy blooms in late summer and into the fall and thrive in similar light levels as the ubiquitous Hosta. Yet they have rarely been offered in the nursery trade, showing up only recently due to an incredible surge in public demand for native plants to support native ecosystems.

Zigzag Goldenrod grow to roughly 3’ in a garden setting where they get a drink during very dry spells. In more challenging conditions their height can be closer to 18”. They coexist very well with Heartleaved Asters and Scarlet Beebalm and have actually outcompeted the Obedient Plant that was added to the space at the same time (I’ll be moving them to a brighter location soon since I think that their failure to thrive has more to do with available sunlight than their plan neighbours).

In a very rich setting, Zigzag Goldenrod can be strong spreaders, which makes me think that they would be a good post-Garlic-Mustard-removal species to introduce rich, shaded settings.

Their blooms are very popular with late season pollen and nectar feeders and their large, heart-shaped leaves remain green and full until hard frost.

In a rich, dappled shade setting I’d pair these with Blooodroot, Woolly Blue Violets, Golden Alexanders, Red Columbine, Scarlet Beebalm, Hairy Beardtongue, Lance-leaved Self-Heal, Carpenter’s Figwort, Calico Aster, Heart-leaved Asters, White Wood Asters, Downy Wood Mint, Bottlebrush Grass, Flat-topped White Asters, American Alumroot and, if their height is appropriate for the space, Giant Yellow Hyssop.

In a dry, dappled shade setting I’d pair them with Virginia Thimbleweed, Poke Milkweed, Hairy Wood Mint, Wild Basil, Large-leaved Aster, American Alumroot, Carpenter’s Figwort and Heart-leaved Aster.