Solidago ulmifolia

Elm-leaf Goldenrod

Solidago ulmifoliaMuhl. is native to woods and wood margins in eastern North America. Stem leaves are sparsely hirsute at least on the abaxial midribs and main nerves, and the inflorescences often consists of a few long arching branching with clusters of terminal flowers (Semple & Cook 2006 FNA).  Plants with shorter branched secund-pyramidal inflorescences can be confused with S. rugosa var. rugosa. Only diploids (2n=18) are known in S. ulmifolia.

Two varieties based on differences in stem pubescence have been recognized, but Beck et al. (2021) concluded that the more hairy-stemmed plants treated as var. palmeri graded morphologically into the less hairy var. ulmifolia and were not distinct based on DNA sequencing.

Solidago helleri is possibly a hybrid between S. ulmifolia with S. delicatula.

Solidago ulmifolia range map

Beck, J.B., M.L. Markley, M.G. Zielke, J.R. Thomas, H.J. Hale, L.D. Williams, and M.G. Johnson. 2021. Are Palmer's Elm-Leaf Goldenrod and the Smooth Elm-Leaf Goldenrod Real? The Angiosperms353 Kit Provides Within-Species Signal in Solidago ulmifolia s. l. Systematic Botany 46 (4), 1107-1113.

Last revised 14 April 2025 by J.C. Semple     

© 2025 J.C. Semple, including all photographs unless otherwise indicated.

Solidago ulmifolia, margin of woods, Indiana
Solidago ulmifolia, long-branched inflorescence, margin of woods, Indiana
Solidago ulmifolia, glabrous stem, margin of woods, Indiana
Solidago ulmifolia var. ulmifolia, mid stem leaves, margin of woods, Indiana
Solidago ulmifolia var. ulmifolia, abaxial midvein
Solidago ulmifolia var. ulmifolia, heads, margin of woods, Indiana

1-6. Solidago ulmifolia, Semple 11750, woods margin, Allen Co., Indiana. 1. Shoots, relatively short inflorescence branches. 2. Long-branched inflorescence. 3. Glabrous stem. 4. Mid stem leaves. 5. Leaf, abaxial midvein. 6. Heads.