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Solidago canadensis scabra - (Muhl.)Torr.&A.Gray.

Canadian Goldenrod

Author	(Muhl.)Torr.&A.Gray.	Botanical references	43, 200
Family	Compositae	Genus	Solidago
Synonyms	Solidago altissima - L.
Known Hazards	None known
Range	Eastern N. America - Maine to Ontario, Nebraska, Georgia and Texas.
Habitat	Dry to damp thickets, roadsides and clearings[43].
Edibility Rating	2 (1-5)	Medicinal Rating	2 (1-5)

Physical Characteristics

Perennial growing to 1.8m by 1m.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.

Habitats

Woodland Garden; Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves; Seed.

Edible Uses: Tea.

Young leaves and flowering stems - cooked[172]. Seed[22, 46, 61, 105, 161, 183]. It can be used as a thickener in soups[172]. The seed is very small and fiddly to harvest or utilize[K]. A tea can be made from the flowers and/or the leaves[172, 183].

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

Antiseptic; Haemostatic; Salve; Skin; Styptic.

The whole plant is antiseptic, haemostatic, salve and styptic[168, 172, 257]. An infusion of the dried powdered herb can be used as an antiseptic[168]. A poultice of the flowers has been used in the treatment of ulcers and burns[257]. A poultice of the moistened, crushed root has been used in the treatment of boils[257].

Other Uses

Dye; Latex.

A source of latex, contained in the leaves. A potentially good source of rubber[61]. Mustard, orange and brown dyes can be obtained from the whole plant[168].

Cultivation details

Succeeds in any moderately fertile moisture retentive soil in sun or semi-shade[200]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. A rather greedy plant, it is apt to impoverish the soil[1]. Hybridizes freely with S. canadensis[43]. The plant attracts various beneficial insects such as ladybirds, lacewings and hoverflies to the garden, these insects will help to control insect pests in the garden[201, 238].

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. Only just cover the seed and do not allow the compost to become dry. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle, and grow them on for their first winter in pots. Plant them out into their permanent positions in spring or early summer. Division in spring or autumn. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found it best to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame, planting them out once they are well established in the summer.

Links

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[22] Sholto-Douglas. J. Alternative Foods. 0
Not very comprehensive, it seems more or less like a copy of earlier writings with little added.

[43] Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950
A bit dated but good and concise flora of the eastern part of N. America.

[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.

[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.

[105] Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976
The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.

[161] Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237. U.S. Depf of Agriculture. 0
A comprehensive but very terse guide. Not for the casual reader.

[168] Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants. MacMillan Publishing Co. New York. 1974 ISBN 0-02-544950-8
A very good and readable book on dyeing.

[172] Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest. 0
A nice guide to some useful plants in that area.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[201] Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers Ltd. 1993 ISBN 0-304-34324-2
A well produced and very readable book.

[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.

[257] Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998 ISBN 0-88192-453-9
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.

Readers Comments

Plants for a Future does not verify the accuracy of reader comments, use at your own risk. In particular Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. You should always consult a professional before using plants medicinally.

Solidago canadensis scabra

Erik Wassenich Sun Aug 3 2008

This is the second year I am collecting the flowers and leaves, dry them and make tea from them. It is good for blood circulation, also for the urinary system and, according to many people in Russia, Solidago canadensis scabra keeps the prostate healthy and contributes to the general health of the people who drink this tea. The best way to prepare the tea is to boil water, let it cool to approximately 70 degrees C, then fill the tea pot. The teapot can be refilled with water 2 or three times, the tea staying strong. After 2 years of drinking this tea (often half and half Solidago canadensis tea and Orthilia secunda tea mixed). I have never felt better, haven't seen a doctor.

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