Solidago puberula Nutt.
Downy goldenrod
Downy goldenrod prefers sandy soils, in fields, roadsides, and woodlands. For a comparison chart of some of the varieties of goldenrods, see Solidago.
Plants: 8–39″ (20–100 cm) high, and up to 2′ (60 cm) around. Each plant has up to five woody stems covered with fine hairs.
Leaves: Alternate, simple, toothed, ⅜–6″ (1–15 cm). Basal leaves are oblanceolate to obovate, with long tapering stems, 1¾–6 ⨉ ⅜–1¾″ (5–15 ⨉ 1–5 cm), also toothed.
Flowers: 15 to as many as 250 flowerheads, arranged in panicles. Each flowerhead is on a stalk 1/32–⅛″ (1.5–3 mm) in length. Each composite flower is up to ⅛″ (3 mm) in size, and contains 9-16 yellow ray florets and 6-15 disc florets. They appear September to October.
Fruits: Flowers become small spherical arrangements of seeds on “parachutes,” called cypselae, like dandilions gone to seed. The cypselae are ~1/32″ (0.8–1.3 mm) in diameter.
Habitats: Sandy soils, in fields, roadsides, and woodlands.
Online References:
9/9/2014 · Bemis Road, Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 7 × 11″ (18 × 28 cm) 
9/9/2013 · J. Harry Rich Forest, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 9 × 6″ (23 × 16 cm) 
8/29/2024 · Brunswick Town Commons, Brunswick, Maine 
8/29/2024 · Brunswick Town Commons, Brunswick, Maine 
8/24/2023 · Morse Mountain, Phippsburg, Maine · ≈ 5 × 8″ (13 × 20 cm) 
9/28/2013 · Cadillac Mountain, Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine · ≈ 5 × 7″ (12 × 16 cm) 
9/29/2013 · South Bubble Hike, Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine · ≈ 5 × 6″ (13 × 15 cm) 
8/27/2021 · Hackett and Minot Trails, Harpswell, Maine · ≈ 5 × 8″ (13 × 20 cm) 
ID is uncertain 
8/15/2015 · Screw Auger Falls, Grafton Notch State Park, Newry, Maine · ≈ 6 × 8″ (14 × 20 cm) 
9/9/2014 · Bemis Road, Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 8 × 12″ (21 × 31 cm) 
8/15/2015 · Screw Auger Falls, Grafton Notch State Park, Newry, Maine · ≈ 7 × 10″ (16 × 25 cm) 
9/29/2013 · South Bubble Hike, Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine · ≈ 5 × 8″ (13 × 19 cm) 
9/9/2013 · J. Harry Rich Forest, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 8″ (12 × 19 cm) 
9/24/2020 · Skolfield Shores Preserve, Harpswell Heritage Land Trust, Harpswell, Maine 
8/29/2024 · Brunswick Town Commons, Brunswick, Maine 
8/29/2024 · Brunswick Town Commons, Brunswick, Maine 
9/9/2013 · J. Harry Rich Forest, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 4½″ (13 × 11 cm) 
9/9/2014 · Bemis Road, Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 7 × 11″ (18 × 28 cm) 
8/29/2024 · Brunswick Town Commons, Brunswick, Maine 
9/28/2013 · Cadillac Mountain, Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine · ≈ 6 × 8″ (14 × 20 cm) 
9/28/2013 · Cadillac Mountain, Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine · ≈ 5 × 7″ (13 × 18 cm) 
9/19/2015 · Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Porcupine Trail, Hollis, New Hampshire · ≈ 4½ × 3½″ (12 × 9.1 cm) ID is uncertain 
8/27/2021 · Hackett and Minot Trails, Harpswell, Maine · ≈ 5 × 8″ (13 × 20 cm) ID is uncertain 
9/9/2013 · J. Harry Rich Forest, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 4½ × 7″ (11 × 16 cm) 
8/27/2021 · Hackett and Minot Trails, Harpswell, Maine · ≈ 5 × 8″ (13 × 20 cm) ID is uncertain 
8/24/2023 · Morse Mountain, Phippsburg, Maine · ≈ 4½ × 7″ (12 × 18 cm) 
9/29/2013 · South Bubble Hike, Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine · ≈ 4½ × 7″ (11 × 16 cm) 
9/15/2016 · Cadillac Mountain Summit, Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine 
9/24/2020 · Skolfield Shores Preserve, Harpswell Heritage Land Trust, Harpswell, Maine 
8/24/2023 · Morse Mountain, Phippsburg, Maine · ≈ 4 × 6″ (11 × 15 cm) 
9/9/2013 · J. Harry Rich Forest, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 5″ (16 × 12 cm) 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients |
| Division | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms |
| Class | Magnoliopsida | Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves |
| Subclass | Asteridae | A large class that encompasses asters |
| Order | Asterales | Flowering plants with a central disk flower and surrounding petals, like daisies |
| Family | Asteraceae | The aster family, which also includes daisies and sunflowers; from the Greek ἀστήρ, “star,” for the star-shaped flowers |
| Genus | Solidago | From Latin solido, “to make whole or heal,” because it was believed these species had healing properties |
| Species | puberula | minutely or somewhat pubescent, clothed with miniscule soft downy hairs |
Solidago puberula description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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