Summary
Solidago rugosa ‘Fireworks’ is an exemplary selection of the widespread species that was found in a wet coastal plain habitat in North Carolina by Ken Moore of North Carolina Botanic Garden in 1970. Fireworks wrinkle-leaf goldenrod was introduced to the gardening world by Niche Gardens in 1993, and has been a horticultural staple ever since. In the trial, S. rugosa ‘Fireworks’ was a strong grower with sturdy, upright stems and attractive copper-flushed new growth. In the average soils of the Trial Garden this selection spread slowly but not aggressively, although faster spread can be expected in locations with wetter soil. The grand finale of the S. rugosa ‘Fireworks’ show comes in September and October when sprays of long slender inflorescences explode into glorious bloom. Not only did this plant take the top spot in Mt. Cuba Center’s trial, but it was also determined to be the best performer in Chicago Botanic Garden’s Solidago trial in 2000, and in 2025 it was selected as a recipient of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society Gold Medal Plant Award for outstanding garden plants for the mid-Atlantic region.
Details
- Rating
4.6 (Top Performer) - Common Name
Fireworks wrinkle-leaf goldenrod