Showy Goldenrod (Solidago speciosa)Showy Goldenrod (Solidago speciosa)
Wild Flowers of Sleepy Hollow Lake From All-Creatures.org Art and Photo Journals and Galleries Directory

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Showy Goldenrod (Solidago speciosa)
Table of Contents

Showy Goldenrod (Solidago speciosa) - 01
(Showy Goldenrod (Solidago speciosa) - 01)  There are approximately 125 species of goldenrod in the United States, most of them located in the Northeast.  The showy goldenrod does not grow in Northern New England.  Perhaps this is one of the reasons that it is not common here at Sleepy Hollow Lake.  The showy goldenrod is characterized by its upright flowering head with upward thrusting "branches" that grow from all sides of the stem.  Some people consider the showy goldenrod's flowering head to be "club" shaped, but we believe a better description would be "Christmas tree" shaped.
Showy Goldenrod (Solidago speciosa) - 02
(Showy Goldenrod (Solidago speciosa) - 02)  In this nearly overhead view of the showy goldenrod, we can see the branching of the flowering head coming from all sides of the stem.  The leaves of the showy goldenrod grow alternately from the stock in narrow ribbed ellipses.  The sides of the leaves are very finely toothed.  Showy goldenrod is a member of the Composite or Aster family.  Showy goldenrod usually grows in heights from two feet to six feet.  We believe that the height is determined by the amount of competition the showy goldenrod has for sunlight, as the ones growing along roadsides are generally shorter than the ones growing in overgrown fields.
Showy Goldenrod (Solidago speciosa) - 03
(Showy Goldenrod (Solidago speciosa) - 03)  In this enlarged photo, we can see the individual flowers of the showy goldenrod bloom.  The literature says that each tiny flower has five to six rays, but some of the ones pictured here seem to have more.  The nearly obscured toothed edges of the leaf can be seen on the left side of a leaf against the dark background on the right-center of the photo.  The showy goldenrod blooms from August through October.  We are always amazed by the almost infinite variety that God has designed into His creations.

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lamb-right lamb-left Presented here are just a few of the countless components of God's creation.  Just as we cannot have human and animal life without water and plants, neither can we have lasting peace without love and compassion.  It is our hope and prayer that this series will motivate people to live and act in a cruelty-free manner; that we would no longer hurt or destroy each other, the animals or our environment.