Canadian goldenrod is a herbaceous long-lived perennial and member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes daisies, yarrow, and lettuce. It is native to northeastern and north-central North America and grows throughout the US except in Hawaii, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Florida. Plants grow well in sun to light shade with medium moist soil and are found in a variety of sites including damp meadows, farmlands, pastures, thickets, fields, waterways, waste areas, ditches, roadsides, railroad right of ways, open slopes, upland prairies, and forest edges.
Description: This rhizomatous plant grows two to seven feet tall and has smooth stems covered with fine hairs at the top and bearing alternate lanceolate leaves along their length The two to five inch long leaves have sharply toothed margins and hairy undersides. Terminal drooping panicles of flower heads are up to ten inches wide and are carried on one side of the stem. Each small flower head has ten to seventeen yellow ray florets and blooms from late summer into fall. The fruits are slightly hairy achenes with numerous bristles. Plants spread by seed and rhizomes and can form substantial colonies.
Control: Hoe or pull seedlings as they appear. Dig out older plants taking care to get as much a the root as possible and repeat until no more plants appear. Large colonies can be controlled by mowing early in the bloom time over a period of two to three years. Mowing too early, however, will result in the plants regrowing and blooming so timing is important. In severe cases a broad leaf specific herbicide such as triclopyr can be used. Glyphosate can be used if care is taken to avoid contact with desirable plants. Alternatively, glyphosate can also be dabbed on goldenrod stalks after mowing.