Goldenrod Golden Days

The sun has shown on the earth and the goldenrod is his fruit.

– Thoreau

It is the time of year to bask in the golden glow of goldenrod blooms. Take a close look at goldenrod these brilliant late summer days.

Notice just how many flowers goldenrod is made up of – what appear to be individual flowers are actually groups of many smaller flowers (a characteristic of the Aster family to which goldenrods belong). Goldenrod is composed of disk flowers with five distinct petals surrounded by a ring of ray flowers with seemingly one petal (actually fused petals).

*Group of goldenrod flowers in the middle surrounded by the individual flowers of another flower group. Note the five-petaled disk flowers to the left and seemingly one-petaled ray flowers to the right*

Goldenrod has an unfounded reputation of causing hay fever. However, its heavy, sticky pollen is meant to attach to pollinators, not disperse in the wind. (Many who suffer from allergies in autumn know that ragweed blooms at about the same time as goldenrod, thus the confusion.) According to entomologist and ecologist Doug Tallamy, goldenrod is “one of the best herbaceous native perennials for attracting and feeding wildlife.” Tallamy’s research shows the genus Solidago supports over 100 species of moths and butterflies. Bees, wasps, beetles, ants, flies, and spiders also dine on goldenrod and feed on the creatures that are feasting on goldenrod. Goldenrod is one of the most important flowering plants for honeybees to build up stores of honey for winter.