Stout goldenrod facts for kids
Solidago squarrosa, often called stout goldenrod, is a cool plant from North America. It's a type of goldenrod and belongs to the sunflower family. Think of it like a cousin to the sunflowers you might see!
Quick facts for kids Stout goldenrod |
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| Two ramets, beginning flowering | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Solidago
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| Species: |
squarrosa
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What is Stout Goldenrod?
Stout goldenrod is a plant that comes back every year. It's known as a perennial herb. This means its roots stay alive underground, even in winter. New shoots grow from these roots each spring.
Where Does it Grow?
This plant is found in many places across North America. You can see it in parts of Canada, like Ontario, Québec, and New Brunswick. In the United States, it grows from Maine in the east, all the way west to Indiana. It also reaches south into states like Tennessee and the Carolinas.
What Does it Look Like?
Stout goldenrod can grow quite tall, sometimes up to 150 centimeters (about 5 feet)! That's taller than many kids.
It has a special underground stem called a caudex. This caudex helps the plant store energy. It also allows the plant to branch out underground.
Leaves and Flowers
The leaves of this goldenrod are shaped like an egg. The biggest leaves are near the bottom of the plant. They can be up to 20 centimeters (about 8 inches) long. Leaves higher up the stem are usually shorter.
One stout goldenrod plant can make a lot of flowers. It might produce as many as 200 small yellow flower heads! These tiny flowers grow in a long, narrow cluster at the very top of the plant. Each "flower head" is actually a group of many small flowers. This group is called a pseudanthium.
