Bloomipedia
Stiff-leaved goldenrod (Solidago rigida)
Photo: Tom Lazar via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized

Flower profile

Stiff-leaved goldenrod

Solidago rigida

Native in the lower 48

Stiff-leaved goldenrod is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 7 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in August–September.

27states
7of our state lists
9,279U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota

Quick look

Solidago rigida, known by the common names stiff goldenrod and stiff-leaved goldenrod, is a North American plant species in the family Asteraceae. It has a widespread distribution in Canada and the United States, where it is found primarily east of the Rocky Mountains. It is typically found in open, dry areas associated with calcareous or sandy soil. Habitats include prairies, savannas, and glades.

  • 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 27 states. USDA PLANTS
  • In Illinois, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in August–September. iNaturalist
  • In Minnesota, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in August–September. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as yellow. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as late summer. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 3.6 ft. USDA PLANTS
  • iNaturalist has 1,993 research-grade sightings of it in Illinois, ranking #94 among the 109 flowers on our Illinois list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 1,954 research-grade sightings of it in Minnesota, ranking #62 among the 110 flowers on our Minnesota list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 282 research-grade sightings of it in Iowa, ranking #92 among the 109 flowers on our Iowa list. iNaturalist

Stiff-leaved goldenrod gift ideas

Handmade stiff-leaved goldenrod 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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    Stiff-leaved goldenrod art print

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When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (699 records)
Bloom time in each of our 7 states
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
IllinoisNativeAugust–September1,993
MinnesotaNativeAugust–September1,954
IowaNativeAugust–September282
KansasNativefew records281
South DakotaNativefew records229
NebraskaNativefew records198
North DakotaNativeAugust–September155

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
Illinois
Not listed Not on Illinois List of Endangered and Threatened Flora (17 Ill. Adm. Code 1050), per the Endangered Species Protection Board's 2025 checklist. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Illinois. IL E&T checklist 2025
Minnesota
Not listed Not on Minnesota endangered, threatened and special concern plants (Minn. R. 6134.0300). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Minnesota. Minn. R. 6134.0300
Iowa
Not listed Not on Iowa endangered, threatened and special concern plants (Iowa Admin. Code r. 571-77.3). NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Iowa. IAC 571-77.3
Kansas
No list Kansas's endangered and threatened list (K.A.R. 115-15-1) covers animals only, so we show NatureServe's Kansas ranks for plants. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Kansas.
South Dakota
No list South Dakota's endangered and threatened list (ARSD 41:10:02) covers animals only, so we show NatureServe's South Dakota ranks for plants. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in South Dakota.
Nebraska
Not listed Not on Nebraska threatened and endangered species (163 Neb. Admin. Code ch. 4, § 004). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Nebraska. 163 NAC 4-004
North Dakota
No list North Dakota has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's North Dakota ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in North Dakota.
Rare elsewhere
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: CT (S1), DC (SX), MA (SH), MD (S1), NC (S2), NY (S2), PA (S1), SC (S1), VA (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 peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.

🌿 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 stiff-leaved goldenrod in 27 states plus Washington, D.C.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Arkansas, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin; District of Columbia.

Illinois counties with USDA records: Adams, Bond, Boone, Brown, Bureau, Calhoun, Carroll, Cass, Champaign, Christian, Clay, Clinton, Coles, Cook, Crawford, Cumberland, De Witt, DeKalb, Douglas, DuPage, Edgar, Effingham, Fayette, Ford, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Grundy, Hamilton, Hancock, Henderson, Iroquois, Jackson, Jasper, Jersey, Jo Daviess, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Knox, LaSalle, Lake, Lawrence, Lee, Livingston, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Madison, Marion, Mason, McDonough, McHenry, McLean, Menard, Mercer, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Moultrie, Ogle, Peoria, Perry, Piatt, Pike, Pope, Putnam, Randolph, Richland, Rock Island, Sangamon, Scott, Shelby, St. Clair, Stark, Stephenson, Tazewell, Union, Vermilion, Wabash, Washington, Whiteside, Will, Williamson, Winnebago.

Minnesota counties with USDA records: Anoka, Becker, Beltrami, Benton, Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Cass, Chippewa, Chisago, Clay, Clearwater, Cook, Cottonwood, Dakota, Dodge, Douglas, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Hennepin, Houston, Hubbard, Isanti, Itasca, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Kittson, Lac qui Parle, Lake, Lake of the Woods, Le Sueur, Lincoln, Lyon, Mahnomen, Marshall, Martin, McLeod, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Mower, Murray, Nobles, Norman, Olmsted, Otter Tail, Pennington, Pine, Pipestone, Polk, Pope, Ramsey, Red Lake, Rice, Roseau, Scott, Sherburne, St. Louis, Stearns, Steele, Stevens, Todd, Traverse, Wabasha, Wadena, Waseca, Washington, Watonwan, Wilkin, Winona, Wright, Yellow Medicine.

Iowa counties with USDA records: Adair, Adams, Audubon, Cass, Cherokee, Fremont, Guthrie, Harrison, Lyon, Madison, Mahaska, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Ringgold, Shelby, Story, Taylor, Union, Woodbury.

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Sources