Ragweed: The Culprit Behind "Goldenrod Allergy Season"
Goldenrod is given a bad rap for causing seasonal allergies, but is this beautiful native plant truly
responsible for the crimes for which it is condemned?
Is it possible to be allergic to goldenrod? Certainly!
But! As an insect-pollinated plant, goldenrod’s pollen grains are too big and heavy to travel by wind.
You would have to put your face right against the plant to inhale any allergens.
Ragweed, on the other hand, has tiny pollen grains that are produced in massive quantities to
travel by wind.
You could be miles from the nearest ragweed plant and still inhale its pollen!
Goldenrod and ragweed share a seasonal cycle, producing flowers and pollen at similar times of
the year, but in reality, ragweed pollen is the true culprit for most allergies.
We always hear "Goldenrod Allergy Season" but in reality it should be known as
"Ragweed Allergy Season"!!
Goldenrod is an excellent source of food for insects and birds.
It grows prolifically, and can
quickly get out of control if left to its own devices, but managed properly, this plant can be an excellent addition to your property and provide beautiful foliage in a time of year that many
plants are losing their color.
"The goldenrod is yellow, The corn is turning brown, The trees in apple orchards With fruit are bending down."
- Helen Hunt Jackson
Next time your watery eyes and sneezes turn your mind to ripping out that beautiful goldenrod in the back of your yard... look instead for the pale green flower spikes of ragweed!
- Haley Holley, Wild Heritage Gardens, Ltd.
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