On March 28, 1985, the Blue Ridge goldenrod was placed on the Federal list of threatened and endangered species as threatened. Today, only three populations are known to exist – one each at Hanging Rock and Grandfather mountains in Avery County, North Carolina, and one at Roan Mountain on the North Carolina- Tennessee state line. Like other rare plants occurring at highly visited natural areas, Blue Ridge goldenrod suffers from recreational-associated trampling from hikers, campers, and others not aware of the plant’s presence or its significance. Another threat facing the species is simply the encroachment of other plants, especially shrubs like rhododendron, into its habitat.

The Solidago genus is large and complex with over 100 species.  Most species are perennial species found in open meadows, prairies, and savannas in North America, but some are native to South American and Eurasia.   It is one of several goldenrod species that are considered relict species, plants that were more common when environmental conditions were colder and wetter.  As the glaciers receded, conditions became warmer and drier, leaving the species to only persist in the high mountain peaks that have the harshest winter conditions.  The Blue Ridge Goldenrod is one of the southernmost relict goldenrods that remain. 

• US Fish and Wildlife Service. 1985. Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Determination of Threatened Status for Solidago spithamaea (Blue Ridge Goldenrod). 50 FR 12306. 4 pp.
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1987. Blue Ridge Goldenrod Recovery Plan. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Atlanta, Georgia. 30 pp.
• Taylor, C.E.S., and R.J. Taylor. 1986. Solidago (Asteraceae) of limited distribution in the Central United States. SIDA 11 ( 3): 334-339.

Habitat

Rock outcrops, cliffs, balds, and ledges, generally at elevations greater than 4,600 ft.  The soils upon which this species grows are generally shallow and acidic. Blue Ridge goldenrods usually grow in full sun.

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1987. Blue Ridge Goldenrod Recovery Plan. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Atlanta, Georgia. 30 pp.

Physical characteristics

Blue Ridge goldenrod is a small perennial herb with erect stems that reach 4 to 8 inches tall. Its golden-yellow flowers appear from late July to September, and fruits form and ripen from July to October. It can be distinguished from other goldenrod species by its flat-topped flowers, small stature, smooth foliage, and toothed, non-clasping stem leaves.  

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1987. Blue Ridge Goldenrod Recovery Plan. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Atlanta, Georgia. 30 pp.

Reproduction

The plants appear to spread vegetatively by extending rhizomes and presumably by seed; however, the relative importance of each mode of reproduction to the species is unknown. Several species of insects have been observed visiting Blue Ridge goldenrod flowers, however pollinators have not been identified. Hybridization has not been documented.    

Geography

Only three populations are currently known to exist; Grandfather Mountain and Hanging Rock in Avery County in North Carolina, and Roan Mountain along the border between Mitchell County in North Carolina and Carter County in Tennessee. 

Two other populations have been reported, but neither could be confirmed. One, at The Peak in Elk Knob State Park could not be found by staff of North Carolina State Parks, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Forest Service, though other species within the genus were found at the site. The second was reported on National Park Service property in Buncombe County, North Carolina in 1990, though it has never been rediscovered and therefore remains unconfirmed.

Additionally, the New York Botanical Garden has a specimen labeled Blue Ridge goldenrod from Botetourt County, Virginia, but it has been recognized as a mis-identification. 

• New York Botanical Garden, Collection ID 32164, 1977 (Accessed through SERNEC Data Portal, http//:semecportal.org/portal/index.php, 2018-10-30).
• North Carolina Natural Heritage Program. 2018. Element Occurrence records for Solidago spithamaea. Print date August 30, 2018. 
• Kauffman, Gary. 2018. US Forest Service, Asheville, NC. Personal communication, e-mail.
• Thompson, Andrea. 2018b. Solidago spithamaea monitoring data from 2016 and 2017. North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC. Unpublished spreadsheet.
• Ulrey, Christopher. 2018. National Park Service, Blue Ridge Parkway, Asheville, NC. Personal communication, telephone.
• US Fish and Wildlife Service. 1985. Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Determination of Threatened Status for Solidago spithamaea (Blue Ridge Goldenrod). 50 FR 12306. 4 pp.
• Weakley, Alan.2018. University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC. Personal communication, email.