Don’t blame the goldenrod!

Sneezing, coughing, wheezing? Please don’t blame the goldenrod. Ragweed which is similar in appearance may be the culprit. Both bloom at the same time. But ragweed has small, nondescript flowers that are wind-pollinated. This means that ragweed’s fine and light pollen grains float through the air, possibly causing “hay fever.”

Goldenrod, with its showy, colorful flowers, are animal-pollinated. This means that its pollen grains are large and sticky, designed to adhere to the bodies of the bees and butterflies it attracts and not fly through the air. Hummingbirds and goldfinches love goldenrod as well.

This native plant is very important to wildlife. Monarch butterflies rely on goldenrod nectar to fuel their long fall migration down to Mexico. Songbirds will feed on goldenrod’s seeds, and many native bee species will nest and overwinter in the stems, so don’t cut back the seed heads or stems after the flowers have stopped blooming.

And, of course, goldenrod brings fantastic seasonal color to the garden at a time when most other flowers have finished flowering. And did you know that goldenrod flowers can be used to dye fabric?