Boston Flora

Tag: goldenrod

  • Sunday, August 25, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm – The Golden Hour: Goldenrod Exploration

    Did you know that goldenrod is a keystone plant? That is, a species or group that other species heavily depend on – they are the keystones that hold our ecosystem together! Goldenrod justly earns its keystone status by serving as a host plant to over 100 species of moths and butterflies. It also provides an abundant source of pollen and nectar that supports a multitude of other native pollinators including bees, beetles, flies and wasps. As summer settles into autumn, when not much else is in bloom, these yellow blossoms are an irreplaceable resource. In this program, we will take a closer look at goldenrods and the animals that depend on them. Following a short presentation, have your phone or camera ready for a sunset meadow exploration.

    Join the Massachusetts Audubon Society on Sunday, August 25 from 6 – 7:30 pm at the Boston Nature Center in Mattapan for a fascinating lecture and tour. $13 for Mass Audubon members, $15 for nonmembers. Registration required at www.massaudubon.org Gordon Dietzman photo.

  • Saturday, September 23, 9:30 am – 4:00 pm – Asters and Goldenrods

    In late summer and early fall, asters and goldenrods come into their own. The September 23 morning discussion with Ted Elliman at Garden in the Woods will include a presentation of the many asters and goldenrods in our region, focusing on their ecology and identification features. We will also examine specimens from the New England Wild Flower Society’s herbarium. Later we’ll visit a nearby natural area to identify the asters and goldenrods growing in the fields, woodlands, and wetlands. In the field, we’ll look carefully at the differences that characterize these species, Bring a hand lens and a bag lunch. The session, cosponsored with the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions, begins at 9:30 am and is $85 for members of the sponsoring organizations, $104 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.newfs.org/learn/our-programs/asters-and-goldrenrods