A wild flower misunderstood? Reviled for no reason? Such seems to be the case with goldenrod, incorrectly blamed for causing seasonal allergies. It is a bright golden, conspicuous flower that blooms in late summer and early fall. Take a minute to observe and you’ll see the flower attracts bees, butterflies and moths. It’s pollinated by insects, not by the wind. The real culprit here for allergies is ragweed, a thin easily overlooked plant which blooms at the same time as goldenrod and whose pollen flies in the wind in great abundance.
How many types of goldenrod are there? I found three distinct species without too much trouble, the Canada goldenrod growing in fields and roadside ditches, the seaside goldenrod on a salt marsh shore, and the silverrod (noted for its white flowers) in a sunny patch on the edge of a woods.
The plant is so common, so ubiquitous, that North Americans regard it as a weed, though it’s quite attractive, adds a splash of colour to mixed bouquets, and is perfectly edible (especially its young leaves, while tea and honey can be made from its flowers). In Europe, goldenrod is cultivated and grown in gardens. It also has medicinal properties. That’s right, instead of making you sneeze, goldenrod actually helps fight off the things that make you sneeze. Misunderstood.
