“The goldenrod is yellow. The corn is turning brown. The trees in apple orchards with fruit are bending down.”
Helen Hunt Jackson, American poet and novelist (1830-1885)
I was pleased to see three tall stems of goldenrod full of their golden flowers swaying in the wind behind the fence of the perennial garden. Prairie fields that remain wild are full of wildflowers — blue, white and gold. Our fields are bushhogged until the end of the season where sedge stands for the winter. While down the gravel road, there are uncut fields all summer long. From these friendly fields I gleaned some wildflowers and harvested their seed.
Goldenrod is a hardy plant. It is drought-resistant and requires no fertilizer. Seeds can be bought off the internet if need be. They grow naturally in the Prairie and are hardy to zone 3. We are in zone 7 where goldenrods get plenty of heat and sun and don’t care how dry it may get. They often grow on roadsides and along railroads. They have a very deep root system, sprouting from a 2-5-inch rhizome. Goldenrod is a perennial wildflower listed sometimes as an herb. Goldenrod is often thought of as an allergen, but it is not. It is very rare for anyone to be allergic to goldenrod. In fact, goldenrod has its own medicinal value in numerous situations.
Made into a tincture, a mixture of goldenrod extract and alcohol, goldenrod may actually reduce the effects of sinus allergies. It’s known to be a diuretic, aid kidney function, reduce pain and swelling when made into a salve, stop muscle spasms, provide relief for arthritis, eczema and other skin rashes. Goldenrod has even been used as a mouthwash.
Several states have selected the goldenrod as their state flower including Nebraska, Kentucky, South Carolina and even Alabama — until they changed the state flower to the camellia, a product of Japan, and then again in 1999 to the oak leaf hydrangea.
Goldenrod typically blooms from August to October in a glorious fall display, which unfortunately coincides with the blooming of ragweed, which is in fact an annual weed. Statistics show about 23 million Americans are allergic to ragweed.
Ragweed is in the genus Ambrosia, which sounds lovely but is not. While the goldenrod produces nectar and heavy pollen which is beneficial to bees and butterflies, the ragweed does not. The pollen of the ragweed is very small and light and able to be carried by wind up to 100 miles away. One plant can release a billion small grains into the air. Symptoms of a ragweed allergy include stuffy and runny nose, sneezing, itchy eyes and asthma flare-ups.
The ragweed is a leafy green weed with small green flowers. The plant is shorter than the goldenrod, usually with five single, slender columns sprouting from a single stem, looking somewhat like a five-branch candlestick.
So, if interested in purchasing or collecting goldenrod to enjoy planting or arranging, go ahead. If ragweed, don’t.
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