Goldenrod and Ragweed

Goldenrod and Ragweed If you are like me, you’ve spent the past couple of weeks sniffling and sneezing with itchy eyes. We are allergic to many things (pet dander, mold, fragrances, and work), but much of this misery is caused by pollen from plants. I can’t count how many times I’ve heard “that yellow flower is causing my allergy symptoms.” Well, let’s identify the real villain. That bright yellow flower blooming all over the side of the road now is most often goldenrod (Solidago sp.). So that’s what’s causing my sniffling, right? Well not so fast, my friends (as Lee Corso says on Saturday mornings). Goldenrod has gotten a bum rap with respect to allergies, when most often ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) is the problem. Goldenrod produces masses of bright golden flowers on single stemmed plants and has relatively large, heavy pollen grains carried off by bees, butterflies, and other insect pollinators. Its heavy sticky pollen doesn’t easily blow in the wind or up your nose. Although rarely planted here in the United States, goldenrod is highly prized in gardens in England and Europe, but there are nearly a hundred members of the goldenrod family found in North America. True, most are common weeds (or more correctly, wildflowers!); however, many are lovely plants you can use in perennial gardens or borders. There are several varieties that work well in a garden, including Sweet Goldenrod (Solidago odora), Dwarf Goldenrod ‘Golden Fleece’ (Solidago sphacelata ‘Golden Fleece’), Crown of Rays Goldenrod (Solidago ‘Crown of Rays”), Golden Aster (Solidaster ‘Lenmore’), and Fireworks Goldenrod (Solidago rugosa ‘Fireworks’). Ragweed has greenish yellow flowers in small heads which produce pollen carried by the wind rather than insects. Each ragweed plant can produce an estimated one billion pollen grains, and pollen counts are higher on warm, breezy days and between 10 am and 3 pm. Ragweed is not a showy plant and is easiest to identify by its stems and leaves. Ragweed has branching purplish stems that are rough and hairy with leaves that are smooth but deeply divided into lobes. It is a native annual that reproduces from seed and grows 1 – 4 feet tall (common) or even 13 – 15 feet tall (giant). Common ragweed grows well in the gravelly areas on road sides where it thrives under abuse. Cold weather kills this year’s plants, but the seeds are waiting for warm weather to emerge and start the sniffling all over again. It is estimated that approximately 15% of people living in Europe and North America are sensitive to the pollen from ragweed. So the next time you see that bright yellow flower in the ditch and start sneezing, think about whether that plant is really the cause of your allergies or just another pretty flower in the ditch.