Vascular Plants of North Carolina
Section: Common Name: Scientific Name: Family:
Account for Curtis's Goldenrod - Solidago curtisii   Torrey & A. Gray
Members of Asteraceae:
Members of Solidago with account distribution info or public map:
Google Images
Section 6 » Order Asterales » Family Asteraceae
Show/Hide Synonym
AuthorTorrey & A. Gray
DistributionMountains, and barely into western Piedmont ranges near the Blue Ridge Escarpment.

Endemic to the Appalachians, from PA and WV south to GA and AL.
AbundanceCommon in the Mountains, but rare into the South Mountains in the western Piedmont. The State Rank deserves to be moved to S4.
HabitatMesic to moist slope forests, rocky slopes, ravines -- essentially a goldenrod of shady sites.
PhenologyFlowering and fruiting September-October.
IdentificationCurtis's Goldenrod is very distinctive in having flowering heads in small clusters in the axils of many of the stem leaves, and also terminally. Plants typically grow 2-3 feet tall. It strongly resembles Bluestem Goldenrod (S. caesia), but differs in its erect, green stem (vs. leaning and glaucescent) and broader leaves. Some plants may have hairy stems. This is a widespread and familiar goldenrod of montane forests, though note that Bluestem Goldenrod also can be numerous in the mountains.
Taxonomic CommentsNamed in honor of Moses Ashley Curtis (1808-1872) who collected throughout NC in the mid-1800s.

Other Common Name(s)Mountain Decumbent Goldenrod, Mountain Goldenrod
State RankS3? [S4]
Global RankG4G5
State Status
US Status
USACE-agcpFACU link
USACE-empFACU link
County Map - click on a county to view source of record.
Select a source
AllHerbaria
Individual
Website
Select an occurrence type
AllCollection_naturalLiterature_naturalSight_natural