[7] Solidago gigantea is a perennial herb that reaches heights of up to 2 m (6.6 ft) tall, sometimes spreading by means of underground rhizomes.

At the top, each stem produces a sizable array of many small flower heads, sometimes several hundred.

[4] Solidago gigantea is found in a wide variety of natural habitats, although it is restricted to areas with at least seasonally moist soils.

[11] In its non-native range, it exerts a negative impact on native communities by decreasing species richness and diversity, apparently due to its intense competitive effects,[12] rapid growth,[13] or polyploidization.

[14] In the non-native European range, several management options are applied, such as periodical flooding, mowing, mulching, grazing, or herbicide to reduce the negative impact of the species on native biodiversity.