Flower profile

Silverrod

Solidago bicolor

Native in the lower 48

Silverrod is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 2 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in August–October.

28states

2of our state lists

7,617U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Connecticut, Maine

Quick look

Solidago bicolor, with several common names including white goldenrod and silverrod, is a plant species native to much of eastern North America. It is found in Canada and in the United States. It prefers sandy and rocky soils, and can frequently be found along roadsides.
From Wikipedia's article Solidago bicolor, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Asteraceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 28 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as native to Maine and Connecticut. ^NatureServe
In Maine, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in August–September. ^iNaturalist
In Connecticut, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in August–October. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 1,098 research-grade sightings of it in Maine, ranking #65 among the 110 flowers on our Maine list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 546 research-grade sightings of it in Connecticut, ranking #88 among the 111 flowers on our Connecticut list. ^iNaturalist

Silverrod gift ideas

Handmade silverrod gifts from independent makers.

🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.

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Silverrod art print
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Silverrod greeting card
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Silverrod mug
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Silverrod earrings
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Silverrod embroidery pattern
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Silverrod sticker
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When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (1,602 records)

Bloom time in each of our 2 states

State	Type	Peak bloom	Sightings*
Maine	Native	August–September	1,098
Connecticut	Native	August–October	546

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA): Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}
NatureServe global: G5 Secure worldwide. ^NatureServe
Maine: Not listed Not on Maine Rare Plant List (Maine Natural Areas Program, 2021). E and T are Maine's official endangered and threatened plants (12 M.R.S.); SC and PE are tracking categories. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Maine. ^{Maine rare plant list}
Connecticut: Not listed Not on Connecticut Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Plants (RCSA 26-306; 2015 list). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Connecticut. ^{CT E/T/SC list}
Rare elsewhere: Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: MI (S1), SC (S2). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleEdible (per NC State Extension)

NC State Extension notes: “The leaves and berries contain the poisonous alkaloid solanine; although the toxic quality of the berries seems to disappear with ripening, it is best not to eat them.” ^{NC State Extension}

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records silverrod in 28 states plus Washington, D.C.

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recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin; District of Columbia.

Maine counties with USDA records: Androscoggin, Aroostook, Cumberland, Franklin, Hancock, Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Oxford, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Somerset, Waldo, Washington, York.

More Maine flowers

Common yarrow

Achillea millefolium

Native

🌼 Blooms in ME: June–October

White snakeroot

Ageratina altissima

Native

🌼 Blooms: August–October

Chicory

Cichorium intybus

Introduced

🌼 Blooms in ME: June–October

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile SOBI.
iNaturalist, Solidago bicolor: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Solidago bicolor (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Maine: Maine Rare Plant List (Maine Natural Areas Program, 2021). E and T are Maine's official endangered and threatened plants (12 M.R.S.); SC and PE are tracking categories.
Maine: Maine Do Not Sell invasive plant list (01-001 C.M.R. ch. 273).
Connecticut: Connecticut Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Plants (RCSA 26-306; 2015 list).
Connecticut: Connecticut prohibited invasive plants (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 22a-381d).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Solidago bicolor (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
Photo: bunnymom20 via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized.