Chrysoma pauciflosculosa (Michx.) Greene

Woody Goldenrod

Shrub

Perennial

Vascular

Woody Goldenrod is a native perennial evergreen shrub in the Sunflower family (Asteraceae). It can be found in the southern-most counties in Alabama. Woody Goldenrod occurs on dunes and in xeric Longleaf Pine/Turkey Oak sandhills. Woody Goldenrod forms low, rounded shrubs 2-4 feet in height. The stems are erect, branched, and glabrous. Older stems have tight, reddish-brown bark. Leaves are alternate, sessile, oblanceolate to elliptic in outline, entire, grayish-green in color, and glabrous. The leaves are resinous and areolate, each areole with a sunken border. Most leaves are confined to the ends of the stems. Flowers are produced in heads. The heads are in dense corymbs on stems 1-2 feet longer than the vegetative stems. Each cylindrical head contains 1-2 yellow ray flowers and 4-5 yellow disc flowers. The fruit is an achene with barbellate pappus. Woody Goldenrod is available from some nurseries, especially those near the coast. It is drought tolerant and resistant to salt spray. Woody Goldenrod requires a well-draining soil in full sun. The abundance of flowers produced late in the season attract a wide variety of insects. Woody Goldenrod has been shown to be allelopathic—releasing chemicals into the surrounding environment that inhibit the germination or growth of other vegetation.—A. Diamond

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Native FAC- (NWPL)

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