Solidago sphacelata ‘Golden Fleece’ Has Yellow Plumes and Heart Leaves

Summary: Solidago sphacelata ‘Golden Fleece’ is a compact, New World goldenrod cultivar with golden yellow plumes and dark green heart leaves.

Solidago sphacelata ‘Golden Fleece,’ Native Plant Garden, New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York City, Sept. 16, 2016: Kristine Paulus, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr

Solidago sphacelata ‘Golden Fleece’ is a compact, New World goldenrod cultivar that has showy golden yellow plumes and dark green heart leaves.

Horticulturist Richard W. “Dick” Lighty discovered a spontaneous volunteer seedling of Solidago sphacelata ‘Golden Fleece’ in Gertrude Bradley Tanner’s wildflower garden in Eden, Rockingham County, North Carolina, in 1985. Gertrude Tanner (June 24, 1915-July 20, 2003) planted her garden with wildflowers that she rescued from natural areas scheduled for development in Rockingham County. Part of her collection of more than 200 wildflower varieties was donated to the Daniel Boone Nature Garden in Boone, Watauga County, northwestern North Carolina.

Dr. Lighty transferred the young plant for evaluation at Mt. Cuba Center, located in New Castle County, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) northwest of Wilmington, Delaware’s state capital. Mt. Cuba Center encompasses the home and family estate of Lammot du Pont Copeland (May 19, 1905-July 1, 1983) and his wife, Pamela Cunningham Copeland (May 5, 1906-Jan. 25, 2001). Dr. Lighty served as the center’s founding director for 15 years, from 1983 to 1998.

Dr. Lighty’s evaluation revealed the goldenrod seedling as yielding low-growing stems with broadly rounded leaves and opening golden yellow spires in autumn. He determined that the cultivar’s compact, multibranched profile made it suitable as an attractive, perennial ground cover.

Solidago sphacelata ‘Golden Fleece’ was registered as official cultivar under the ICRA (International Cultivation Registration Authority) system in 1989. Mt. Cuba Center and horticulturist Dr. Hans Simon, president of ISU (Internationale Stauden-Union International Hardy Plant Union) from 1982 to 1994, introduced Solidago sphacelata ‘Golden Fleece’ in 1989. In 1994, ‘Golden Fleece’ was recognized as an outstanding new perennial at ISU plant trials in Switzerland. Founded Jan. 14, 1965, in Hanover, Lower Saxony, northwestern Germany, ISU is the only worldwide association of perennial plant growers.

'Golden Fleece’ thrives in sunny habitats with average moisture. The golden yellow-flowered cultivar accepts, however, a range of sunlight requirements, from full sun to partial shade. Soil tolerance ranges from ordinary garden soils to clay or shallow-rocky soils.

Stems emerge aboveground from underground stems known as rhizomes (Ancient Greek: ῥίζα, rhíza, “root"). The low-growing goldenrod’s dense mounding usually ranges between 1 to 2 feet (0.3 to 0.6 meters) in height. Longer branched stems occasionally reach around 2.5 feet (0.76 meters). Spread is generally equiproportionate, at 1 to 1.5 or 2 feet (0.3 to 0.45 or 0.6 meters). Without pruning, spread may slowly reach 3 feet (0.91 meters).

In spring, foliage appears as basal rosettes at stem bases. Broadly heart-shaped leaves have toothed edges. The dark green leaves are arranged alternately along the sturdy stems.

Solidago sphacelata ‘Golden Fleece’ is a late-blooming goldenrod. Flowering may begin in late August. Typical florescence spans the autumnal months of September and October.

Flowering occurs as golden yellow plumes of tiny flowers. The dense sprays of loosely branching clusters, known as panicles, appear terminally, at stem tops. The golden plume-like panicles' wands may measure lengths of 15 to 18 inches (38.1 to 45.72 centimeters).

Solidago sphacelata, the parent species for ‘Golden Fleece,’ claims New World homelands in 11 states. Solidago sphacelata occurs natively from the Mississippi River states of Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi eastward through Ohio, West Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia.

Known commonly as autumn goldenrod or dwarf goldenrod, Solidago sphacelata bequeathes to its popular cultivar sturdily arching, densely spreading stems. Each of autumn goldenrod’s densely crowded panicles may comprise as many as 250 flowers.

Solidago sphacelata ‘Golden Fleece’ brightens autumn landscapes with showy splashes of golden yellow plumes and dark green heart leaves. The Missouri Botanical Garden suggests plantings for late summer and early autumn perennial borders, rock gardens and wild gardens. Massed plantings of the goldenrod cultivar yield attractive ground cover.

The cultivar's appeal is not restricted to outdoor landscapes. Solidago 'Golden Fleece' successfully brings the outdoors indoors by showing well in cut flower arrangements.

Solidago sphacelata 'Golden Fleece' and Solidago flexicaulis are late-blooming goldenrods that tolerate shade: Thomas Rainer @ThomasRainerDC via Twitter Sept. 12, 2013

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

Solidago sphacelata ‘Golden Fleece,’ Native Plant Garden, New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York City, Sept. 16, 2016: Kristine Paulus, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/kpaulus/29688304272/

Solidago sphacelata 'Golden Fleece' and Solidago flexicaulis are late-blooming goldenrods that tolerate shade: Thomas Rainer @ThomasRainerDC via Twitter Sept. 12, 2013, @ https://twitter.com/ThomasRainerDC/status/378184920629522432

For further information:

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Available @ http://www.mtcubacenter.org/images/PDFs-and-SWFs/Mt_Cuba_Center_Plant_Introduction_1989-Present.pdf

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Available @ http://www.plantsmap.com/organizations/23608/plants/25071

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Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2016/09/solidago-rugosa-fireworks-streams.html

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Available @ http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=10906814

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Available @ http://www.rodalesorganiclife.com/garden/seven-samurai-weed-control

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Available @ http://www.isu-perennials.org/en/isu-awards.html

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Available @ http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=f620

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Available @ http://www.whatsnative.com/images/Solidago_whatsnative_PDF_2-12-10.pdf

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Available @ http://www.newmoonnursery.com/plant/Solidago-sphacelata-Golden-Fleece

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Available @ http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=SOSP4

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Thomas Rainer @ThomasRainerDC. "Dry shade? Try Solidago 'Golden Fleece' or Solidago flexicaulis." Twitter. Sept. 12, 2013.
Available @ https://twitter.com/ThomasRainerDC/status/378184920629522432