Solidago odora Aiton
Anise-scented goldenrod, sweet goldenrod
Sweet goldenrod is native to eastern North America. For a comparison chart of some of the varieties of goldenrods, see Solidago.
Plants: 2–5′ (60–152 cm) high. Stems are hairy.
Leaves: Dark green, with smooth or hairy edges and pointed tips, 1½–4″ (4–11 cm) long. They are alternate, sessile, and have a single main vein. Crushed leaves release a scent of anise (licorice).
Flowers: Flowerheads are roughly tubular in shape. Each composite flower has 3-4 ray florets and 3-5 disc florets. Blooms July through October.
Fruits: Flowers become small spherical arrangements of seeds on “parachutes,” called cypselae, like dandilions gone to seed. The cypselae are 1/32–1/16″ (1.4–2.3 mm) in diameter.
Edibility: Dried leaves and fully extended flowers are brewed as an anise-flavored tea, or “tisane.”
Habitats: Savannas, pinelands, dry woods.
Online References:
8/17/2013 · Hopkinton State Park, Hopkinton, Massachusetts · ≈ 8 × 6″ (20 × 14 cm) 
ID is uncertain 
8/17/2013 · Hopkinton State Park, Hopkinton, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 4½″ (15 × 12 cm) ID is uncertain 
8/17/2013 · Hopkinton State Park, Hopkinton, Massachusetts · ≈ 11 × 7″ (28 × 18 cm) ID is uncertain 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients |
| Division | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms |
| Class | Magnoliopsida | Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves |
| Subclass | Asteridae | A large class that encompasses asters |
| Order | Asterales | Flowering plants with a central disk flower and surrounding petals, like daisies |
| Family | Asteraceae | The aster family, which also includes daisies and sunflowers; from the Greek ἀστήρ, “star,” for the star-shaped flowers |
| Genus | Solidago | From Latin solido, “to make whole or heal,” because it was believed these species had healing properties |
| Species | odora | “Emits an odor” |
Solidago odora description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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