''Solidago sempervirens'', the seaside goldenrod or salt-marsh goldenrod, is a plant species in the genus ''

Solidago ''Solidago'', commonly called goldenrods, is a genus of about 100 to 120''Solidago''.
F ...

'' of the family

Asteraceae The family Asteraceae, alternatively Compositae, consists of over 32,000 known species of flowering plants in over 1,900 genera within the order Asterales. Commonly referred to as the aster, daisy, composite, or sunflower family, Compositae ...

. It is native to eastern North America and parts of the Caribbean. It is an

introduced species An introduced species, alien species, exotic species, adventive species, immigrant species, foreign species, non-indigenous species, or non-native species is a species living outside its native distributional range, but which has arrived there ...

in the

Great Lakes region The Great Lakes region of North America is a binational Canadian–American region that includes portions of the eight U.S. states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin along with the Canadian p ...

. Similar plants found in the

Azores ) , motto =( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace") , anthem= ( en, "Anthem of the Azores") , image_map=Locator_map_of_Azores_in_EU.svg , map_alt=Location of the Azores within the European Union , map_caption=Location of the Azores wi ...

(now '' Solidago azorica'') are thought have evolved from a natural introduction of this species.

Description

''Solidago sempervirens'' is a

succulent In botany, succulent plants, also known as succulents, are plants with parts that are thickened, fleshy, and engorged, usually to retain water in arid climates or soil conditions. The word ''succulent'' comes from the Latin word ''sucus'', meani ...

, herbaceous perennial that reaches heights of 4–6 feet (120–180 cm). It is unusual in the genus in having toothless, hair-less leaves, thicker than those of most other ''Solidago'' species. Flower heads are found in a large paniculiform

inflorescence An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are forme ...

at the top of the plant, often with branches that bend backwards towards the base. This species blooms in late summer and well into the fall, later in the season than most of its relatives. Its fruits are wind-dispersed

achenes An achene (; ), also sometimes called akene and occasionally achenium or achenocarp, is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate (formed from one carpel) and indehiscent (they do not op ...

. They are yellow often, and have sprouts of buds at the end of the short branches.Flora of North America, ''Solidago sempervirens'' Linnaeus, 1753. Seaside goldenrod , verge d’or toujours verte
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Distribution and habitat

In nature, ''S. sempervirens'' is primarily a plant of the seashore, and is accordingly found along coasts of the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean, and the Gulf of Mexico from Central America north as far as

Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...

. It grows on sand dunes, salt marshes, and the banks of estuaries. It is naturally found inland along the St. Lawrence Seaway and the

Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes in the mid-east region of North America that connect to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River. There are five lakes ...

, and has expanded its range further inland along roadsides over the past 30 years. It is highly tolerant of both

saline soils Soil salinity is the salt content in the soil; the process of increasing the salt content is known as salinization. Salts occur naturally within soils and water. Salination can be caused by natural processes such as mineral weathering or by the ...

and salt spray, and is usually found growing on

coastal dunes A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, f ...

and in

salt marsh A salt marsh or saltmarsh, also known as a coastal salt marsh or a tidal marsh, is a coastal ecosystem in the upper coastal intertidal zone between land and open saltwater or brackish water that is regularly flooded by the tides. It is domin ...

es. ;Varieties *''Solidago sempervirens'' var. ''mexicana'' (L.) Fernald - from Massachusetts south to Central America and the West Indies *''Solidago sempervirens'' var. ''sempervirens'' - from Newfoundland south to Virginia; introduced in Great Lakes region

Ecology

''Solidago sempervirens'' is a seashore plant with a high salinity tolerance. It is occasionally cultivated as an ornamental, preferring sunny locations with sandy soil, with little competition from other species.

References

External links

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q7557963 sempervirens Salt marsh plants Halophytes Flora of North America Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus