Tips on Identifying Goldenrod Species

Depending on who you ask, there are somewhere between 62 and 69 separate species of goldenrod living in the United States alone, and the differences between these late blooming roadside plants are often so subtle that it takes a fair amount of experience to be able to identify different goldenrod species at first glance. However, even someone who is relatively new to identifying wild plants can simplify the process by following three easy field identification steps. First, know which goldenrod species grow in your area. Next, identify the shape, or habit of the goldenrod in question. Finally, take a close look at the individual leaves and classify the veins running through the leaf as being either feather veined or parallel veined.

While there over 60 species of goldenrod in the United States, there are often only a handful of species in a given area. The easiest way of narrowing down the possible species in your area is to consult a reliable book on wildflowers in your state. Flip to the section pertaining to goldenrods and make note of the identifying characteristics and propagation zones of each species. In the state of North Carolina, for instance, there are only six or seven species of goldenrod that are regularly seen, and a few of those only grow in select areas. If you can manage to memorize the goldenrod species in your area or simply have a list of them close at hand, identifying goldenrod species in your area starts to become a much more manageable query.

Armed with a list of the species of goldenrod in your area, the next step to identifying a particular batch of the plants is to identify the overall shape of the plant as a whole. According to Peterson's Field Guide to Wildflowers, there are five separate habits of goldenrods: plumelike, elm-branched, clublike, wand-like and flat-topped. Examples of these different shapes can be found here.

After assigning a shape to the goldenrod and seeing which goldenrod species in your area have that habit, you will probably have narrowed it down to a couple of possible species and have a pretty strong feeling about one species in particular. By taking a good look at the individual leaves, you should quickly discover whether your suspicions are correct. The most important thing to look for is whether the veins in the leaf all sprout from the leafstalk or whether small veins stretch from a central vein in a featherlike fashion. Other key points on the leaves to match up with species is over all leaf shape (ovate or lanceolate) and whether the leaves have serrated edges or hairs.