Solidago spectabilis
Showy goldenrod, Showy Goldenrod
(c) Stan Shebs, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Solidago spectabilis (Showy goldenrod) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by bog/alkaline habitat, very tall stature, large basal leaves, mountain ranges distribution.
Showy goldenrod is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern California High Sierra Nevada, eastern Sierra Nevada slopes, and Great Basin in bogs and alkaline meadows at elevations of 300 to 2,300 meters. Flowering from July to September, this plant produces yellow flowers in dense, ascending to arching panicle-like clusters with 6 to 21 ray flowers. Growing up to 1.8 meters tall with a short caudex, it has mostly glabrous stems that range from erect to somewhat arching. Its leaves are distinctively oblanceolate, with basal leaves up to 25 centimeters long and becoming smaller and more entire toward the stem, often forming clusters in leaf axils. The plant produces small fruits 1 to 2 millimeters long, sparsely covered with stiff hairs.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 7 sympatric species; key features are bog/alkaline habitat, very tall stature, large basal leaves, mountain ranges distribution
Habitat and range
Habitat: Bogs, alkaline meadows
Elevation: 300-2300 m
Outside California: to Oregon, Nevada
Bloom period
Solidago spectabilis blooms Jul-Sep.
How to tell it apart
vs Euthamia: Solidago flowers cluster one-sided on branches; Euthamia flowers form flat-topped clusters.; vs Isocoma: Solidago has small yellow ray petals; Isocoma completely lacks ray petals (disk flowers only).; vs Senecio: Solidago heads in one-sided clusters; Senecio heads in flat or rounded clusters, never one-sided.; vs Eriophyllum: Solidago foliage is green and smooth; Eriophyllum foliage is densely white-woolly.; vs Artemisia: Solidago has showy yellow ray petals; Artemisia has tiny inconspicuous rayless heads.
Frequently asked questions
Is Solidago spectabilis native to California?
Yes. Solidago spectabilis is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Solidago spectabilis bloom?
Solidago spectabilis blooms Jul-Sep.
What plant family does Solidago spectabilis belong to?
Solidago spectabilis is in the Asteraceae family, genus Solidago.
What habitat does Solidago spectabilis grow in?
Solidago spectabilis grows in Bogs, alkaline meadows.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Solidago velutina — Velvety goldenrod
- Solidago velutina subsp. californica — California goldenrod
- Solidago velutina subsp. sparsiflora
- Solidago altissima subsp. altissima — Late goldenrod
- Solidago confinis — Southern goldenrod
- Solidago elongata — West coast canada goldenrod
- Soliva sessilis — Common soliva
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.