Now we leave the narrow, unbranched, wand goldenrods strung with
clusters of minute florets, which, however slender and charming,
are certainly far less effective in the landscape than the
following members of their clan which have their multitudes of
florets arranged in large, compound, more or less widely
branching, terminal, pyramidal clusters. On this latter plan the
SHOWY or NOBLE GOLDENROD (S. speciosa) displays its splendid,
dense, ascending branches of bloom from August to October.
European gardeners object to planting goldenrods, complaining
that they so quickly impoverish a rich bed that neighboring
plants starve. This noble species becomes ignoble indeed, unless
grown in rich soil, when it spreads in thrifty circular tufts.
The stout stem, which often assumes reddish tints, rises from
three to seven feet high, and the smooth, firm, broadly oval,
saw-toothed lower leaves are long-petioled. Range, from Nova
Scotia to the Carolinas, westward to Nebraska.
When crushed in the hand, the dotted, bright green, lance-shaped,
entire leaves of the SWEET GOLDENROD or BLUE MOUNTAIN TEA (S.
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