7 Flowering Native Retention Pond Plants that grow on rip-rap embankments in Wichita Kansas

#6 Late Goldenrod

Salidago gigantea

Pros: Vibrant blooms until first frost

Cons: Coarse, may appear weedy before blooming in September

“Late bloomers go in the back of the garden”  is a principle recanted in succession gardening. However the back of the garden is water, so this wildflower is better suited for the center of a rocky slope.

Earning a place at the back of our native retention pond plants list, Late Goldenrod produces a golden panicle of flowers in Autumn. The Late Goldenrod adds vibrant color to the retention pond from September til first frost, and the soil in riprap.

Also called Smooth Goldenrod, this perennial flower loves moist, seasonally wet conditions, so its shallow rhizomes are to be at least 3″ above the high-water level of your pond. Late Goldenrod creates a good background for a formal row of Little Bluestem grasses. For focal points on long embankments, plant it with a clump of Amorpha Fruticosa, the False Indigobush.

Late Goldenrod attains a height of 6 foot by the end of the summer. This won’t obstruct your view of the water, but it forms a peaceful screen  for fishing spots if your pond does not have a steep embankement.