Fall and Goldenrod

I suppose we all have our favorite time of the year. Mine and Joyce’s is fall. After the heat of summer, the sunburns, the mosquitoes, the chigger bites, the ticks, the snakes, fall seems so refreshing, so invigorating. For our ancestors, fall was a time of celebration. The crops were in, the larder was full, the barn was full of hay, the wood was gathered and stacked and it was time to take a few days off to relax. Neighbors got together to talk, eat and drink some good old corn liquor, homemade wine and beer.

Now is the time when nature shines. Pastures are clear, the fall flowers sparkle and the trees put on their best and most colorful dress. The chill in the air feels wonderful.

One thing that people do not like is the allergies some folks suffer from in the fall. We had it on the farm and blamed it on ragweed and goldenrod which grow all over this area, but we never knew which was which. Both have delightful yellow flowers. Just this morning I thought I would research the subject. Identifying ragweed vs goldenrod Here are some answers that I never knew and many of you didn’t either.

This is goldenrod:

You are familiar with the flowers, so I am showing you the leaves. Note the goldenrod has a full leaf. Goldenrod grows tall and it is not the source of your allergies. Goldenrod is pollinated by bees and the pollen is not airborne.

This is ragweed:

Again, look at the leaves. These leaves are fern-like. Ragweed does not grow tall like goldenrod. It stays closer to the ground. Ragweed does pollinate by the wind, get the picture? Ragweed is the culprit, not goldenrod. Even our local weatherman blames both plants for allergens, but only one is the guilty party.

I did not know any of this until this morning. Both may occupy the same spaces in your area, so know the difference and if you want to pull the ragweed do so but leave the goldenrod and enjoy its beauty.