Solidago odora
Sweet Goldenrod
a perennial member of the Solidago genus in the family Compositae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Compositae
- Genus
- Solidago
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Height
- 1.2 m
- Fertility
- Insects
- Flower type
- hermaphrodite
- Pollinators
- Insects
Uses
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Leaves - cooked[4]. Seed[4]. No more details are given but the seed is very small and fiddly to harvest[K]. An aromatic, anise-flavoured tea is made from the dried leaves and dried fully expanded flowers[9][17][19][5]. The blossoms are used as a flavouring[2].
- Product or use
- Condiment
- Product or use
- Tea
- Plant part
- Leaves
- Plant part
- Seed
Medicinal uses
Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
An infusion of the dried powdered herb is antiseptic[3]. The leaves make a very pleasant-tasting tea that is mildly astringent, carminative, diaphoretic, diuretic, febrifuge and stimulant[9][19][8][10][13]. It is useful in the treatment of coughs and colds, dysentery and ulceration of the intestines[15][13]. The essential oil has been used as a diuretic for infants, as a local application for headaches and for the treatment of flatulence and vomiting[15]. The flowers are aperient, astringent and tonic[15]. An infusion is beneficial in the treatment of gravel, urinary obstruction and simple dropsy[15]. The root can be chewed as a treatment for sore mouths[13].
- Product or use
- Antiseptic
- Product or use
- Aperient
- Product or use
- Astringent
- Product or use
- Carminative
- Product or use
- Diaphoretic
- Product or use
- Diuretic
- Product or use
- Febrifuge
- Product or use
- Stimulant
- Product or use
- Tonic
Material uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
An anise-scented essential oil is obtained from the plant[18]. It is used medicinally[8] and in perfumery - especially for scenting soaps[12]. Mustard, orange and brown dyes can be obtained from the whole plant[3].
- Product or use
- Dye
- Product or use
- Essential
Environment
- Range
- Eastern N. America - New Hampshire to Florida, west to Texas and Oklahoma.
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 3+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay, heavy clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Drainage
- well drained
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. Only just cover the seed and do not allow the compost to become dry. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle, and grow them on for their first winter in pots. Plant them out into their permanent positions in spring or early summer. Division in spring or autumn. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found it best to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame, planting them out once they are well established in the summer.
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Succeeds in any moderately fertile moisture retentive soil in sun or semi-shade[6]. Tolerant of very poor sandy soils[6]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. A rather greedy plant, it is apt to impoverish the soil[1]. The bruised leaves have a smell like a mixture of sassafras and aniseed[12]. The plant attracts various beneficial insects such as ladybirds, lacewings and hoverflies to the garden, these insects will help to control insect pests in the garden[7][11].
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Kavasch. B. Native Harvests. Vintage Books 1979-00-00 ISBN 0-394-72811-4
Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants. MacMillan Publishing Co. New York. 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-02-544950-8
Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169
Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers Ltd. 1993-00-00 ISBN 0-304-34324-2
Coffey. T. The History and Folklore of North American Wild Flowers. Facts on File. 1993-00-00 ISBN 0-8160-2624-6
Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-553-23827-2
Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0395467225
Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9
Diggs, Jnr. G.M.; Lipscomb. B. L. & O'Kennon. R. J Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas Botanical Research Institute, Texas. 1999-00-00 http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/bio/gdiggs/NCTXpdf.htm
Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00
Harris. B. C. Eat the Weeds. Pivot Health 1973-00-00
Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202
Saunders. C. F. Edible and Useful Wild Plants of the United States and Canada. Dover Publications 1976-00-00 ISBN 0-486-23310-3