Solidago rugosa Fireworks

Solidago rogosa 'Fireworks' is a variety of Goldenrod that deserves its nickname of Golden Bouquet. This compact and slightly trailing perennial is absolutely remarkable when adorned with fine panicles of golden yellow flowers in the second half of summer, bursting like a fireworks display from the mass of its emerald green vegetation. Its moderate growth and non-invasive nature allow it to be grown in all gardens, even the smallest ones. It is a very structured plant that is superb with blue bushes, asters or purple to violet flowers.

Solidago rugosa, also known as Rough Goldenrod, is botanical species, widespread in North America, which looks very different from horticultural goldenrods. It is a large herbaceous perennial with long creeping rhizomes, belonging to the aster family, like the sunflower. It is very common in the east and central Canada, as well as in the eastern and central United States. Very similar to Solidago canadensis, it differs by the 3 veins on its leaves. It can be found in diverse habitats, but never in shade. It is considered a pioneer plant, colonising areas disturbed by fires, for example, but it is absent from very dry or, on the contrary, waterlogged lands.

The 'Fireworks' cultivar has been selected for its floribundity and denser, more compact vegetation. This plant will reach a height of 70 cm (28in) to 1.20 m (4ft) when in flower, and a minimum width of 50 cm (20in). It forms a dense, flexible clump of numerous leafy stems. Flowering takes place from July-August to October, in the form of long and slender inflorescences which change from emerald green to pure yellow. They are light and feathery spikes of paniculate heads of tiny little daisy-like flowers. They appear at the end of robust and hairy stems which are slightly arched with opposite, rough, light green leaves, with slightly toothed edges. This solidago disappears in late autumn and reappears in spring.

These perennial plants are appreciated for their late flowering, some varieties close to botanical species such as Solidago rugosa Fireworks, deserve a place in ornamental gardens. They are robust plants that only dislike excessive heat and drought, which can cause powdery mildew on the foliage. Their warm yellow flowers are welcome in autumn beds and in front of shrubs with vibrant colours (deciduous euonymus, Persian ironwood, smoke bush, oakleaf hydrangea, etc.). Solidago rugosa can be planted alone or in groups of three near blue asters (Aster lævis Calliope) or purple asters (Aster turbinellus), Buenos Aires verbena (Verbena bonariensis), a heartleaf sea kale (Crambe cordifolia), or the lesser-known Mongolian aster (Kalimeris mongolica. Its flowers hold well when cut, and they can be dried before they fully bloom for dry arrangements.