By Susan Neul
Both the beginning and end of summer are marked by an abundance of yellow flowers lining the roads. Whereas spring-blooming forsythia and daffodils are carefully planted and tended by homeowners, the end-of-summer goldenrod establishes itself without human help. Goldenrod needs no compost, fertilizer, or watering to maintain its stunning display. Just when our perennial gardens have passed their peak, goldenrod steps in to provide a last wave of color until the fall leaves change. And it’s everywhere. The more difficult the spot, the more thrilled goldenrod seems to be to take it. It seems to shout, “Look at me! I can bloom anywhere!”
Despite its mass of yellow intensity that begs to be cut for an indoor display, goldenrod tends to stay outside to be admired from afar. All that yellow is associated with pollen, and allergy sufferers assume this yellow stuff is what is making their eyes itch and their noses run. Nothing else is in bloom, so what else could be the culprit? But, actually, another roadside weed is in fact in bloom at the same time, but this weed flies well below the radar: ragweed! Everyone knows the name but it’s unlikely that most people could point it out. The two plants’ leaves are not at all similar. Goldenrod’s leaves look like blades, and ragweed’s are segmented and look like ferns. But, still, goldenrod and ragweed are mixed up. An Internet search for ragweed images often turns up pictures of goldenrod. Ragweed’s flowers keep a very low profile by being green—green and full of a lightweight pollen that is carried miles by the breeze. Goldenrod’s pollen is sticky and heavy and doesn’t go anywhere, but it is poor goldenrod that takes the blame for the nasal misery just because it is so visible and appears to be the only flower in bloom.
