Blue Stem Goldenrod (Solidago caesia)
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Deciduous Perennial Arching in the Asteraceae Family
A graceful woodland goldenrod with arching, blue-tinged stems and yellow flowers tucked along the leaf axils.

Solidago caesia, Blue Stem Goldenrod, is a woodland native perennial in the aster family, grown for its graceful arching habit and late-season color in shaded gardens. Its wiry stems carry a distinctive waxy, silvery-blue coating and are lined with small, bright yellow flower clusters tucked into the leaf axils along nearly the full length of the stem, rather than clustered only at the tip as in most goldenrods.

The medium green, lance-shaped, toothed leaves are 2-5 inches long. Plants form tidy, non-aggressive clumps and are well suited to shaded borders, woodland gardens, and native plantings, where they attract bees and butterflies with virtually no serious pest or disease problems (occasional rust aside).

Pros

  • Shade-tolerant goldenrod for woodland gardens
  • Graceful arching habit, forms tidy clumps
  • Late-season nectar source for bees and butterflies
  • Virtually no serious pest or disease problems

Cons

  • Less showy than open-prairie goldenrods
  • Occasional rust in humid conditions
Why Like One of the few goldenrods that thrives in woodland shade rather than open sun, providing a valuable late-season nectar source for pollinators when most other prairie goldenrods have already finished blooming in the open.
Highlights
  • Flowers bloom along the leaf axils, not just at the stem tip
  • Waxy, silvery-blue stem coloring is distinctive among goldenrods
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 24 - 36 inches tall. 12 - 18 inches wide.
Sun Exposure Partial Shade - Full Shade
Moisture Tolerance Dry - Medium
Zones 4a - 8b (Usually hardy to -30° F)
Tags Attracts Butterflies, Deciduous, Dry, Full Shade, Illinois Native, Medium, Native to North America, Partial Shade, Perennial, Popular For Fall
Bloom Period August to September
Flower Color Yellow-Gold
 

Plant Club Content
 

More Info from Experts

Commonly Planted with...

Ferns, wild ginger, woodland asters, and other shade-tolerant native perennials.
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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 04/03 - 10/04
2024 : 05/01 - 10/05
2023 : 06/21 - 09/24

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!