Plant Min Zone: 4a
Plant Max Zone: 8b
Sunlight: All Day Full Sun, Full Sun, Part Sun
Water / Rainfall: Low, Average, High
Soil Quality: Average, Rich
Bloom Season: Late Summer, Fall
Flower Color: Yellow, Gold
Berry / Fruit Color: None
Spring Foliage Color: Green
Summer Foliage Color: Green
Fall Foliage Color: Green, Yellow
Evergreen Foliage: Some
Winter Interest: Yes
Scented Flowers: No
Drought Tolerance: Medium
Wet-Feet Tolerance: Medium, High
Humidity Tolerance: High
Wind Tolerance: Medium
Poor Soil Tolerance: Clay Soils, Rocky Soils, Alkaline Soils (high PH)
Height: 2.5' - 3'
Width: 2.5' - 3'
Growth Rate: Medium, Fast
Service Life: Long: 5-10 years
Maintenance Need: Almost Zero Maintenance
Spreading Potential: Medium
Yearly Trimming Tips: Trim Perennial to 6-12" off Ground in Early Spring before New Growth: Has Winter Interest.
Plant Grouping Size: Small Grouping of 3-5, Medium Grouping of 5-10, Mass Planting of 10 or more
Best Side of House: South Exposure, West Exposure, East Exposure, North Exposure
Extreme Planting Locations: Survives Severe Drought, Tolerates Extreme Heat, Top of Retaining Wall Locations, Base of Retaining Wall Locations, Resistant to Rabbits
Ornamental Features: Multiple Seasons of Interest, Long Blooming Season, Long Lasting Fall Color, Fine Texture
Special Landscape Uses: Naturalizing, Groundcover
Possible Pest Problems: None
Plant Limitations: None
Fireworks Goldenrod (Solidago rugosa 'Fireworks') is the most garden-worthy of the goldenrods! It features dark green upright foliage. As the flower panicle matures, the expanding buds create a fine-textures cloud-like effect for about a month before the flowers open. When the flowers finally open in September, the radiating form really looks like fireworks! After flowering, the dried flower structure holds up well into fall offering winter interest until the first wet heavy snow. The species, Solidago rugosa, is native to the eastern and central parts of the United States and Canada. It is a highly adaptable goldenrod occuring in open moist areas such as low woods, meadows, old fields, pine barrens, and bogs. It is more tolerant of wet soils that other goldenrod. It prefers locations in full sun in average to moist soils that are well-drained but is adaptable to part shade or dappled shade. In Eastern Kansas, typically our 40 inches of rainfall is sufficient without extra water if planted in good soils. During the drought years in Eastern Kansas of 2011 and 2012, many Fireworks Goldenrods planted in landscapes that were not watered survived but dried up as flowers were trying to form. Goldenrods are not wind-pollinated and therefore do not cause standard hay fever or allergies. This goldenrod attracts wide variety of insects, including small bees, wasps, flies, small butterflies. Rabbit and deer resistance is good. The slowly expanding clump is virtually maintenance free, only needing trimmed in fate fall. Fireworks Goldenrod is generally very pest and disease resistant and can spread by creeping rhizomes or seed. Fireworks Goldenrod has been planted in our trial gardens over 18 years in mostly full sun with average garden soil. This is among our favorite perennials with truely 4 seasons of interest!