Solidago ulmifolia var. ulmifolia

Native

July to October

Yellow ray florets surrounding yellow disk florets

1′ to 5′

This is a 1′ to 5′ tall, erect, perennial forb that rises on a single, sometimes two, stems from a branching, woody caudex.

The stems are erect, leafy, hairless or nearly hairless below the inflorescence, sparsely hairy in the inflorescence.

The basal leaves, when present, and lower stem leaves are thin, egg-shaped to lance-shaped, 2⅓″ to 6″ long but usually no more than 4″ long, and 1⅛″ to 2″ wide but usually no more than 1½″ wide. They appear similar to the leaves of American elm, giving this plant its common name, but are smoother and thinner. They taper gradually to a point at the tip with straight sides along the tip. They taper at the base to a short, winged leaf stalk. The margins have sharp, forward-pointing teeth. The upper surface is sparsely hairy and may be rough to the touch. The lower surface is hairy along the main veins. They often wither by the time the plant flowers. Stem leaves are alternate. Middle and upper stem leaves are attached to the stem without leaf stalks or on very short leaf stalks. They are untoothed, lance-shaped, ¾″ to 2″ long, and from a little less than ¼″ to ¾″ wide, becoming gradually smaller as they ascend the stem.

The inflorescence is a panicle-like inflorescence of a just a few widely-spreading flowering branches with 20 to 150 flower heads. The branches are long, slender, backward-arching, and have flowers on only one side.

The flower heads have 3 to 6 yellow ray florets and 4 to 7 yellow disk florets.

Rough-leaved goldenrod (Solidago patula) is similar but with rougher leaves. It does not occur in Minnesota.