Another goldenrod

Did you know there is more than one kind of goldenrod native to Missouri? The one you see here is a woodland goldenrod I fittingly found at the edge of the woods. The leaves at lower center are fern leaves.

There are several kinds of woodland goldenrods native to North America. Some names for them are showy goldenrod, slender goldenrod and elm-leaved goldenrod. They look quite similar and are hard to tell apart.

Woodland goldenrods bloom for about four weeks in autumn. They are usually less than 3 feet tall. Bees, wasps, gnats and flies pollinate the bright yellow flowers, and the tiny seeds are dispersed by the wind.