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Solidago squarrosa

Nutt.

Squarrose Goldenrod

G5Secure Found in 3 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.159358
Element CodePDAST8P210
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderAsterales
FamilyAsteraceae
GenusSolidago
Other Common Names
Stout Goldenrod (EN) stout goldenrod (EN) Verge d'or squarreuse (FR)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1999. A synonymized checklist and atlas with biological attributes for the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. First edition. In: Kartesz, J.T., and C.A. Meacham. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, N.C.
Taxonomic Comments
Solidago squarrosa formerly treated by Kartesz (1991 unpublished data) as distinct from S. petiolaris; treated as a synonym in the 1994 checklist; and recognized as distinct in his 1999 dataset.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-08-06
Change Date2025-08-06
Edition Date2025-08-06
Edition AuthorsN. Ventrella (2025)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Solidago squarrosa is a perennial herb occurring in upland forests, dry woods, and rocky slopes of eastern North America, from Ontario east to New Brunswick, Canada, south to North Carolina and Kentucky in the United States. There are approximately over 300 occurrences rangewide, which are threatened by development, rights-of-way maintenance activities, succession, deer browse, and invasive species. Little is known about trends, but with a large range extent and large number of occurrences, abundant habitat, and broad habitat preferences, Solidago squarrosa is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Solidago squarrosa occurs in eastern North America, from Ontario east to New Brunswick, Canada, south to North Carolina and Kentucky (possibly extirpated) in the United States (FNA 2006, Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team 2025). Range extent was estimated to be over 1 million square kilometers using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data collected between 1994 and 2025 (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are more than 300 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).
Threat Impact Comments
Threats to this species are not well documented but include invasive species, succession, deer herbivory, recreation, rights-of-way construction and maintenance, and development (NatureServe 2025). There is insufficient data, including anecdotal accounts, to understand the scope and severity of threats for this taxon.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Solidago squarrosa occurs in upland forests, "dry woods, fields and rocky slopes" from 0-1000 m in elevation (FNA 2006, Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team 2025).

Reproduction

Solidago squarrosa produces flowers from August through September (FNA 2006).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/WoodlandGrassland/herbaceous
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN4
ProvinceRankNative
OntarioS4Yes
New BrunswickS4Yes
QuebecS3Yes
United StatesN4
ProvinceRankNative
PennsylvaniaSNRYes
North CarolinaS1Yes
VermontS2Yes
IndianaS1Yes
VirginiaS3Yes
New JerseyS1Yes
OhioS2Yes
New YorkS5Yes
KentuckySHYes
West VirginiaS4Yes
DelawareSHYes
MaineSNRYes
MassachusettsSNRYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial developmentUnknownUnknownUnknown
4 - Transportation & service corridorsUnknownUnknownUnknown
6 - Human intrusions & disturbanceUnknownUnknownUnknown
6.1 - Recreational activitiesUnknownUnknownUnknown
7 - Natural system modificationsUnknownUnknownUnknown
7.1 - Fire & fire suppressionUnknownUnknownUnknown
7.1.2 - Suppression in fire frequency/intensityUnknownUnknownUnknown
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesUnknownUnknownUnknown
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseasesUnknownUnknownUnknown
8.1.1 - Unspecified speciesUnknownUnknownUnknown
8.2 - Problematic native species/diseasesUnknownUnknownUnknown
8.2.2 - Named speciesUnknownUnknownUnknown

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Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (3)
Maine (1)
AreaForestAcres
Caribou - Speckled ExtWhite Mountain National Forest5,988
New Hampshire (2)
AreaForestAcres
KearsargeWhite Mountain National Forest4,554
Pemigewasset ExtWhite Mountain National Forest15,840
References (9)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2006b. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 20. Magnoliophyta: Asteridae, part 7: Asteraceae, part 2. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxii + 666 pp.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
  3. iNaturalist. 2025. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2025).
  4. Johnson, E.A. 2023. <i>Solidago squarrosa.</i> Rare Plant Profile. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, State Parks, Forests & Historic Sites, State Forest Fire Service & Forestry, Office of Natural Lands Management, New Jersey Natural Heritage Program, Trenton, NJ. 15 pp. [https://www.nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/natural/heritage/docs/solidago-squarrosa-stout-ragged-goldenrod.pdf]
  5. Kartesz, J.T. 1999. A synonymized checklist and atlas with biological attributes for the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. First edition. In: Kartesz, J.T., and C.A. Meacham. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, N.C.
  6. NatureServe. 2025. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  7. <p>NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2025. Version: 2.1.1 (released April 04, 2025).</p>
  8. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2025. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2025).
  9. Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2025. Flora of the southeastern United States Web App. Edition of February 18, 2025. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Online. Available: https://fsus.ncbg.unc.edu (accessed 2025).