My thoughts too.

The closest match for the Solidago would be Solidago rugosa, but I'm not confident with that. I would need much clearer pics of the leaves abaxial and adaxial surfaces of basal, cauline and inflorescence leaves, and the stems. A couple stems are purple. Solidago species hybridize easily. This is in someone's yard, so they may have purchased it as a species or hybrid, or it may have showed up and they decided to keep it. Magnolia acuminata or a hybrid of it.

Thank all of you! I was just curious about the first plant, but the Solidago is one I am considering. Is it a prolific self seeder? Don’t have room for that.

debra

Solidago is a spreader. I bought 'Baby Gold' and like it, but I have to stay on top of it and pull early when it shows up where I don't want it. You can find it pretty far from the original plants. And I have a wild/native version that's crazy hard to dig out. I wish I never let that one get a foothold, but it grows in my rocks where I planted Ivy of all things. ....Where was GW when I first started gardening? It would have saved me some of my mistakes.

Thanks for the info Sandyslopes! I don’t have roots for any spreaders…. But I do like the look of it.

debra