Native. Perennial. Propagates by seeds. Time of bloom: Late July to November.

Seed-time: September to December.

Range: Quebec to the Northwest Territory, southward to Florida, Texas, and Arizona. Habitat: Dry soil; old fields, meadows, pastures, roadsides, and waste places.

Probably the commonest of the Goldenrods and one of the most beautiful. Stem six inches to two feet high, simple, clothed with fine, grayish hair. Alternate leaves also roughened with fine, ashy-gray hairs, the lower ones spatulate, scallop-toothed, tapering to petioles, often with fascicles of small leaves in their axils; the upper leaves very much smaller, entire, acute, and sessile. Panicle large, spreading, recurved, usually one-sided, densely many-headed, brilliant golden yellow, each tiny head having five to nine rays which, as in all the Goldenrods, are pistillate; the disk florets are also yellow and perfect. Achenes very small, hairy, with a fine, bristly pappus. (Fig. 295.) '

Means Of Control

Cultivate and liberally fertilize the ground. The plant has a preference for dry and sterile soil, and is readily crowded out when the ground is furnished with humus which enables it to retain moisture and support the growth of better plants. Roadside and waste land plants should be prevented from seed production by repeated close cutting.