May 2007
Ohio Prairie Plant of the MonthSpecies
Common Name Great Lakes Goldenrod
Latin Name: Euthamia remota [Pronounced: "yoo-THAME-ee-ah ree-MOTE-ah"]
Formerly, the species was Solidago remota.
Type of Plant: Forb
Identification Helps: A narrow-leaved, short goldenrod. Similar to the common grass-leaved goldenrod (Euthamia graminifolia), but with much narrower leaves, often with only three longitudinal veins. Found only in the counties bordering Lake Erie.
Similar Species: Grass-leaved goldenrod (Euthamia graminifolia) is much more common and found across Ohio. It is much taller.
Preferred Growing Conditions in the Wild: For unknown reasons, it grows only near Lake Erie (10 miles or less) .
Seasons of Growth and Bloom: Blooms in mid and late summer.
Natural Distribution in Ohio: Found only near Lake Erie, primarily in Erie County, with smaller populations in Lucas and a few other northern counties.
Description and General Information: Euthamia remota is an interesting, regionally rare species. But in a few locations in Erie County it is almost weedlike in profusion. The species has a similar lake-county range in NW Indiana and NE Illinois, hence the common name.
In Erie County, especially at the NASA Plum Brook Station, there is very local (but locally common) separate form or variety with even narrower leaves. Whether or not this will be a new species or variety is unknown, but even inexperienced observers can see the differences from "normal" E. remota and the local variety. The two forms grow side beside, without apparent hybrids or intermediary forms.
Why E. remota grows only in the counties abutting Lake Erie is unknown. When transplated, it grows well. It would seem that the species could grow in all of the Ohio Lake Plain Prairie Region, but it does not.