Electric Hyssop 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.

Hebrew ēzōb, Biblical-purifying-herb. As a color modifier, hyssop implies a Biblical-purifying-herb-and-monastic-physic-garden quality, the visual register of monastic-physic-garden-and-Biblical-hyssop hand-Biblical-purifying-herb-and-monastic-physic-garden monastic-physic-garden-and-Biblical-hyssop-and-Cluniac-cloister hyssop-and-Biblical-purifying-herb surfaces under monastic-physic-garden-and-Biblical-hyssop-and-Cluniac-cloister Cluny-and-Saint-Gall-physic-garden monastic-physic-light. Sits at the modifier-and-flavor end of the grid, parallel to savory and balm 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.