Electric Vesper Goldenrod

From the Greek elektron, amber — the substance whose static-electric properties were observed by Thales of Miletus. Used as a color modifier since the late nineteenth century after electric light made certain saturated colors feel attention-demanding. Electric blue, electric pink: the implication is hot luminance combined with optical impact. Sits at the bright-bucket extreme.

Latin vespera, evening. As a color modifier, vesper implies an evening-prayer-and-dusk quality, the visual register of Roman-Catholic-and-Orthodox-Vespers evening-prayer-and-dusk hour-of-day evening-prayer-and-incense liturgical surfaces under Vespers-and-Compline ecclesiastical-evening candlelight. Sits at the modifier-and-time end of the grid, parallel to eve and knell in usage.

Solidago, the late-summer wildflower of North American meadows whose tall sprays of small yellow flowers signal the end of the growing season. The color refers to the flower head at full bloom: a warm, slightly muted yellow-orange with the matte finish of small clustered florets. Cooler than mustard, deeper than dandelion. The state flower of Kentucky and Nebraska, a pollinator magnet, and the original native dye for early American homespun.