Riddell's goldenrod

Oligoneuron riddellii (Frank ex Riddell) Rydb formerly Solidago riddellii

Family: Asteraceae (aster)

Riddell's goldenrod

Anna Fiedler, MSU Entomology

Riddell's goldenrod

  • Bloom Period:
    • Late,
  • Growth Cycle:
    • Perennial,
  • Growth Habit:
    • Forbs/Herbs,
  • Insect Type Attracted:
    • Natural Enemy,
    • Pollinator,
  • Light:
    • Full,
    • Partial,
  • Region:
    • Southern Lower Peninsula,
  • Soil Moisture:
    • Dry,
    • Medium,
    • Wet
  • Height:
    • 2-4ft

Natural enemies attracted

Highly attractive: Orius insidiousus.

Moderately attractive: Chalcidoidea, Vespidae polistes, and Coccinellidae.

Mildly attractive: Salticidae, Cynipoidea, Plagiognathus politus, Braconidae, Ichneumonidae, Tachinidae, Thomisidae, and Empididae.

Pollinators attracted

Highly attractive: bees including yellow-faced bees, Andrenid bees, sweat bees, small and large carpenter bees, digger bees, and bumble bees; also highly attractive to honey bees.

Pests attracted

Highly attractive: lygus bugs.

Moderately attractive: leaf beetles and leafhoppers.

Mildly attractive: thrips, aphids and froghoppers

Plant notes

This plant produced many clusters of small golden flowers. Plants filled in well and flowered throughout September. In addition to beneficial insects, many insects were seen at this plant, including locust borer. This was the fifth most attractive late season plant to natural enemies, with four times as many natural enemies as the grass control.

Habitat

This plant grows in full sun to partial sun, and fairly dry to very wet locations. It is naturally occurring in wet prairies, fens, shore meadows, and on low ground along rivers and around lakes.

Cultivation and management

This goldenrod can be grown from seed (It flowers in the second or third year.) or plug material (flowers in first or second year). We saw no evidence of deer or other vertebrate browsing on this species.