Tall Goldenrod Traditional Cache

Tall Golderod is so tall it can't stand straight, unless it is helped by support from a tree, as you see here.

Tall Goldenrod

Solidago gigantea is a North American plant species in the sunflower. Its common names include tall goldenrod and giant goldenrod, in reference to its height of up to 2 m tall, rather large for the genus, smooth goldenrod and late goldenrod. It is a widespread species known from most of non-arctic North America east of the Rocky Mountains. It has been reported from every state and province from Alberta to Nova Scotia to Florida to Texas, and also from the State of Nuevo Leon in northeastern Mexico.

Solidago gigantea is an herb up to 200 cm (80 inches) tall, sometimes spreading by means of underground rhizomes. They often grow in clumps, with no leaves as the base but numerous leaves on the stem. At the top, each stem produces a sizable array of many small flower heads, sometimes several hundred. Each head is yellow, containing both disc florets and ray florets.

Solidago gigantea is the state flower of Kentucky and Nebraska.

Solidago, commonly called goldenrods, is a genus of about 100 to 120 species of flowering plants in the aster family, Astraceae. Most are herbaceous perennial species found in open areas such as meadows, prairies, and savannas. They are mostly native to North America, including Mexico; a few species are native to South America and Eurasia. Some American species have also been introduced into Europe and other parts of the world.

The many goldenrod species can be difficult to distinguish, due to their similar bright, golden-yellow flower heads that bloom in late summer. Propagation is by wind-disseminated seeds or by spreading underground rhizomes which can form colonies of vegetative clones of a single plant. They are mostly short-day plants and bloom in late summer and early fall. Some species produce abundant nectar when moisture is plentiful, or when the weather is warm and sunny.

Short-day plants flower when the night lengths exceed their critical photoperiod. They cannot flower under short nights or if a pulse of artificial light is shone on the plant for several minutes during the night; they require a continuous period of darkness before floral development can begin. Natural nighttime light, such as moonlight or lightning, is not of sufficient brightness or duration to interrupt flowering.

The cache is a tied in, camoed, "micro" pill bottle. Please BYOP and put back as you found it, with the rubber band around the log and the plastic bag well sealed. Please try to camo as well as possible before you leave.