Fireworks

Rough-stemmed Goldenrod (Solidago rugosa)

One of the plants that's attracting lots of attention in the garden at the moment is our Rough-stemmed Goldenrod (Solidago rugosa). It's not a native plant here; it's actually North American. The big reason we chose it was not to remind us of our six years in Cape May, New Jersey, though that is a nice side benefit. We planted it to provide a source of nectar and pollen for autumn insects. And provide it does! We've documented 50-60 insects at a time (including dozens of Ivy Bees) visiting the gracefully arching flower spikes over the past few weeks.  It's a clump-forming perennial that prefers sunny conditions in wet (or at least moderately damp) soils. It doesn't really get its preferred soil type in this sunny corner of the garden, but (judging by the number of stems it has sent up this year) it seems to be coping okay nonetheless. The name routinely used by nurseries for this plant is "Fireworks" and, to be honest, that's actually a pretty good name. Its curving sprays of flowers do rather look like the trails left by exploding fireworks. Those spikes grow on hairy, typically unbranched stems, as do the toothed, lance-shaped leaves. The flowers should continue to provide sustenance through much of October, bringing the season's last insects in for a bite to eat.