Is that Goldenrod at the beach?

Goldenrod is a fall favorite in the Piedmont that proliferates along roadsides and open meadows casting a brilliant yellow hue. It's my yearly signal that fall is around the corner. In the Piedmont, it is often mistaken as an allergen because it blooms in tandem with the less showy Ragweed--the real culprit.
Currently in bloom on the east coast is Seaside Goldenrod (Solidago sempervirens). It primarily blooms late summer and early fall and can have a second bloom in spring. Seaside Goldenrod acclimates to sandy soils and has high salt spray tolerance, which puts it right at home at the beach. Naturally occurring yellow flowers are a colorful complement to blue skies and coastal landscapes. The Lady Bird Wildflower Center fact sheet provides a detailed description at http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=SOSE
The Lore of Texas Wildflowers notes that some folklore beliefs say, "where the flower grows there is buried treasure." - https://books.google.com/books…
I discovered this spot of good fortune at the Sands Beach, Old Port Royal, South Carolina. You need only to scratch the surface to find the treasure beneath Seaside Goldenrod.

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