Grey Goldenrod - PollinateHV Local Ecotype

Let’s clear up a common misunderstanding: this lovely native is not the culprit behind your hay fever (that’s the wind-pollinated ragweed hiding nearby!). Gray Goldenrod is, in fact, a well-behaved and ecologically vital friend to the gardener. Distinctive for its petite stature—rarely exceeding two feet—and the soft, fuzzy texture of its gray-green foliage, it sends up wand-like plumes of bright yellow flowers that nod gracefully in the autumn breeze. Because it blooms later than many other goldenrods, it extends the season of color and sustenance well into the fall.

This is the perfect solution for those "impossible" spots in your landscape. It thrives in full sun and poor, dry, or rocky soil where little else will grow. While it spreads to form a nice patch, it is less aggressive than the larger Canada Goldenrod. It is a powerhouse for biodiversity, attracting a host of native bees and butterflies with abundant nectar, and later offering its seeds to hungry Goldfinches in winter. Its genus name, Solidago, translates "to make whole"—a fitting description for a plant that heals the landscape and restores difficult ground.

This local ecotype seed is of Hudson Valley wild origin and has been scaled for production on our farm in Accord, NY.

PollinateHV is a collaboration between the Hudson Valley Seed Company and Partners for Climate Action Hudson Valley in support of threatened native pollinators.

 We worked with a team of expert botanists, seed collectors, nursery growers and farmers to produce local ecotype native seeds to support at-risk Hudson Valley pollinators. You can find more information about this project at pollinatehv.org/seed-work. Learn more about the Hudson Valley's threatened pollinators and find resources to install pollinator habitat at all scales at pollinatehv.org.