STORY BEHIND THE ART OF SHARON STRANG

Wildly Exquisite: Florida’s Native Plants

Evolution of the Goldenrod Gall

Solidago altissima

Several years ago I took an outdoor class in the Longleaf Pine Forest at the Mobile Botanical Gardens with Derek Norman. He had enlisted the help of local botany authority, Fred Nation, to identify the many plant species growing there. I became particularly interested in the goldenrod when Fred explained that the round stem galls are caused by the goldenrod gall fly, which lays its eggs in a way that affects the growth and produces the spherical shelter for the maggot.

I drew three different stages of the goldenrod, first in its green leafy state as the plant is actively growing. As the class progressed, I discovered the second two examples, the middle stage in its mostly dried form, and the last where it had completely dried and the gall had split. 

Since the climates of southern Alabama (where I live) and northern Florida are quite similar, we share many of the same native flora. This late goldenrod (Solidago altissima) is considered invasive and is also often falsely accused as being the cause for many seasonal allergies, when ragweed is really the culprit!

Goldenrod has a rich history of medicinal uses and was mostly used as a stomach ailment remedy by local Native Americans. It has also been used for countless other ailments, such as joint pain and skin issues.

Evolution of the Goldenrod Gall, much like the majority of my body of work, was done in colored pencil on Bristol paper.

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