Showy Goldenrod is a perennial grown for its yellow blooms, which open in late summer and return year after year. It's hardy across USDA zones 3 through 8, shrugs off deer and shrugs off dry spells. Its late summer flowers are a real draw for honeybees, native bees, and butterflies.
Zones
3-8
pH Range
5.5-7.5
Sun
Full Sun
Days to Maturity
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Score Showy Goldenrod on your exact land.
Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether showy goldenrod actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score showy goldenrod against your land's real conditions.
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What Showy Goldenrod is
Showy Goldenrod grows as a perennial and reaches around four feet at maturity. It blooms yellow in late summer. It's also deer-resistant.
How to grow Showy Goldenrod
Showy Goldenrod grows in USDA zones 3 through 8. Showy Goldenrod does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 5.5 to 7.5, on well-drained ground.
USDA Zones
3-8
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
5.5 - 7.5
USDA PLANTS Database
Sun
Full Sun
plant_species_v5.csv
Drainage
well (dry spells)
plant_species_v5.csv
Mature Height
4 ft
plant_species_v5.csv
Start the season right
Plant showy goldenrod in full sun with at least 6 hours of direct sun, once the soil has warmed and frost risk has passed.
Match the soil
Showy Goldenrod prefers pH 5.5 to 7.5 (USDA PLANTS Database). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Harvest at its peak
Cut showy goldenrod blooms in the cool of the morning, just as they open, for the longest display.
Good to know
Good news for pet owners — showy goldenrod isn't known to be toxic to dogs or cats. (Source: ASPCA.)
Showy Goldenrod is a standout pollinator plant — high value to bees and other pollinators. (Source: Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership.)
Where Showy Goldenrod thrives
Showy Goldenrod is hardy across USDA zones 3 through 8. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
Zones 3–8·Where Showy Goldenrod growsOpen map →
On USDA hardiness-zone overlap, Showy Goldenrod can grow in these states:
See if Showy Goldenrod will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether showy goldenrod actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grow Showy Goldenrod in my zone?
Showy Goldenrod grows in USDA hardiness zones 3 through 8 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant Showy Goldenrod?
Most growers plant showy goldenrod after the last spring frost, once the soil has warmed. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does Showy Goldenrod need?
Showy Goldenrod needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.
What soil does Showy Goldenrod need?
Showy Goldenrod prefers soil pH 5.5 to 7.5, on well-drained ground (USDA PLANTS Database). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Showy Goldenrod attract pollinators?
Yes — showy goldenrod's flowers are a strong nectar and pollen source for honeybees, native bees, and butterflies (Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership).
Is Showy Goldenrod safe for pets?
Showy Goldenrod is not known to be toxic to dogs or cats based on available data (ASPCA). Always supervise pets around new plantings.