[Goldenrods: The Genera Euthamia and Solidago East of the Cascade
Mts. of Oregon and Washington]
Manyray Goldenrod, Northern Goldenrod, Rocky Mountain Goldenrod
Solidago multiradiata
Synonyms: Solidago ciliosa, Solidago multiradiata ssp. scopulorum, Solidago multiradiata var. scopulorum, Solidago scopulorum
Dwarf goldenrod as seen amongst granitic boulders atop the Lakes Lookout, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest..........July 25, 2013.
Characteristics:
Northern goldenrod is a fairly attractive rock garden plant
with one to several erect to spreading stems from 5-50 cm high. The leaves
are oblanceolate or spatulate with acute to obtuse tips. The margins are
entire to minutely toothed towards the tips. The upper and lower leaf surfaces
are glabrous with the margins ciliate (at least on the petioles). The basal
leaves are petiolate and 2-10 cm long and 5-18 mm wide. The stem leaves
are loosely arranged, alternate, and can remain fairly large to mid stem
before becoming reduced in size. The stem leaves are also sessile or partly
clasping.
The inflorescence consists of a few heads in a dense terminal
cluster, or more loosely arranged with a terminal cluster and several small
clusters of flower heads offset below and to the side of the terminal cluster.
The involucre is 4-7 mm high with linear or lance-linear bracts having acute
to obtuse tips. There are 25-60 flowers to a head with a central disk surrounded
by 10-20 yellowish rays, each 2-5.5 mm long.
Habitat:
Northern goldenrod is found on gravelly to rocky open slopes
in the mountains and subalpine meadows from 1600m-4500m in elevation.
Range:
Northern goldenrod may be
found from Alaska and eastern Siberia south through the mountains to California,
Arizona and New Mexico. It is found eastward to Labrador, Newfoundland and
Quebec.
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Northern goldenrod as seen at the Kiger Gorge Overlook, Steens Mountain, Harney County, OR.........August 31, 2011.
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Northern goldenrod blooming at about 8800' on the northeastern flanks of Strawberry Mountain, Strawberry Mountain Wilderness........August 3, 2011.
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Northern goldenrod beginning to bloom (left) on a talus slope along the Roads End Trail about 100 meters in from the Trailhead, Strawberry Mountain Wilderness........August 19, 2011. The photo at right shows northern goldenrod in bloom along the East Fork Lostine River Trail #1662 adjacent to Lost Lake, Eagle Cap Wilderness.........August 4, 2016.
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Northern goldenrod blooming at left at a moist seep along the Roads End Trail #201A several hundred yards from the junction with the Onion Creek Trail #368, Strawberry Mountain Wilderness..........July 18, 2013. The photo at right shows northern goldenrod as seen fading out of bloom along the Bonny Lake Trail #1802 near Bonny Lakes, Eagle Cap Wilderness.......August 12, 2018.
Northern goldenrod blooming along the McCully Creek Trail #1812, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest......July 19, 2019.
A side view of northern goldenrod from along the east side of Highway Pass, Denali National Park.........August 23, 2006.
The photo above shows the minute hairs (best visible with a hand lens) lining the edges of the broad base of each leaf of northern goldenrod from the east side of Highway Pass, Denali National Park........August 23, 2006.
The photo above shows dwarf goldenrod as seen above High Camp above 7400' on the north side of Mt. Adams........August 2, 2003.
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Dwarf goldenrod as seen at 7400 feet on the moraine below Mazama Glacier, Mt. Adams.......August 4, 2001.
Paul Slichter