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Don’t blame the worthy goldenrod. It is a misnomer that autumn sniffles, sneezing, and watery eyes are caused by goldenrod. The most likely culprit for fall allergies is ragweed, which blooms at the same time. In the fall, people see goldenrod’s bright, boisterous, yellow blooms and assume it is the source of their sneezing, while the ragweed’s greenish, inconspicuous flowers go unnoticed. Goldenrod pollen grains are large and sticky and do not float in the wind, whereas one ragweed plant can send millions of light pollen grains into the air and right up your nose, making you sneeze.
People seem to underappreciate goldenrod’s presence in the fall landscape, however, the pollinators, insects, and animals that depend on it are quite aware of its essential value. Goldenrod hosts over 100 species of native caterpillars that turn into moths and butterflies, and also provide food for breeding and migrating birds. It is indispensable to many of our native bee species, important to beetles, including ladybugs. Milkweeds feed the monarch butterflies in the summer, but it is the aster and goldenrod nectar that are needed to nourish them during their fall migration.
Goldenrod might invite itself into your yard. Instead of ripping it out, let it stay as your guest. If you don’t cut it back in the fall and winter, it will provide seeds for the songbirds, field mice, and other creatures to eat during the cold winter months. For that matter, not cutting back your perennials until the spring is a good general practice to support wildlife. Plus, the dried flower stalks can add interest to your winter landscape. Several bee species use the hollow stems in the fall as nesting sites, with their developing larvae overwintering and maturing in the spring. If you must cut them back, leave the stems whole and place them in a location where the bee larvae are safe and the birds can find the seeds.
North America has many goldenrod species blooming from late summer through October. To see some of the native goldenrod varieties for your garden, visit Native Plant Trust and search its scientific name, Solidago. Besides goldenrod’s beauty and sustenance for wildlife, it can prevent erosion with its intertwined roots, it is drought-tolerant, builds topsoil, and promotes water absorption. Why not give goldenrod a second look?
