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Stiff goldenrod
Habit (mature) · Krzysztof Ziarnek (Kenraiz) / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Limited coverage
Stiff goldenrod
Solidago rigida
A well-behaved native goldenrod with flat-topped yellow late-summer bloom heads and strong fall pollinator value.
Native: 37 US states + 4 CA provinces
Review: Source-backed
Climate fit: broad (84/100)
Pollinator
Filler
Light
Full sun
Water
Low water
Mature size
36-60" tall · 24" apart
Hardy in zones
3a-9b
brutally cold to frosty winters
Summer heat range
Mild-Hot
mild to hot summers Interim Plotwright tier until the plant AHS range is authored.
Native in Illinois
Yes
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Native across 41 US states and Canadian provinces — a wide-ranging part of North America's plant communities.
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Cold hardiness
Now
Zone 6b
USDA
Chicago, IL · 1991-2020 average annual coldest day
Source: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (1991-2020 climatology) via ArcGIS FeatureServer
Well-suited
2050
Zone 7b
Plotwright
Your zone + climate-model shift · SSP3-7.0 (regional rivalry)
Well-suited
In plain terms: cold winters — coldest nights typically around -3°F.
Well-suited today and still thriving in 2050.
Heat tolerance
Loading current AHS heat-zone and plant heat-fit data at your coordinates…
Sources & citations
Cite this page
For lesson plans, articles, or research that uses this page. To cite a single upstream fact instead, use its specific source listed below.
Plotwright. (2026, May 17). Stiff goldenrod (Solidago rigida). Retrieved 2026, June 5, from https://plotwright.garden/plants/stiff-goldenrod
Sources for every fact
Every fact on this page traces to a source. 18 fields cited18 source-backed.
Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder
Botanical research database
Backs 17 fields
Identity
Summary
Plant type
Light
Moisture
Hardiness
Heat zone
Size
Spacing
Habit
Design roles
Seasonal interest
Growth stages
Lifecycle
Regional guidance
Success tips
Designer notes
Wikimedia Commons
Photo · CC BY-SA 4.0
Backs 1 field
Image
Community photos
The photos above are our reviewed reference set, curated for accuracy.
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