Goldenrod Weeds

Types

• Among the most common types of goldenrod are species such as tall goldenrod (Solidago altissima), sweet goldenrod (S. odora), stiff goldenrod (S. rigada) and seaside goldenrod (S. sempervirens). Blue stem goldenrod (S. caesia) and early goldenrod (S. juncea) also have large North American distributions. Blue stem goldenrod is one of the least invasive types, growing in clumps easily controlled in a garden or field.

Size

• The goldenrods, belonging to the Aster family, come in different sizes. Tall goldenrod grows as high as 7 feet, while other tall species include stiff goldenrod (to 5 feet) and wand-like goldenrod (Solidago stricta), growing to 6 feet tall. Species of goldenrod that mature to more manageable sizes include sweet goldenrod and early goldenrod, developing between 2 and 4 feet tall.

Flowers

• Early goldenrod takes its name from its July and August flowering period, but most other forms of this weedy perennial bloom later in the growing season. For example, tall goldenrod blooms from August through November, while stiff goldenrod flowers from August through October. Goldenrod flowers are typically bright yellow, but some types, such as white goldenrod (Solidago bicolor), produce flowers with whitish rays surrounding a yellowish disc.

Importance

• Among the insects that goldenrod flowers attract are butterflies, moths, bees, wasps and flies. These bugs flock to goldenrod to drink nectar, scattering the pollen from the plant. Other insects partake of the stems and leaves of goldenrod, including aphids and caterpillars. These species provide food for predators like mantises, beetles and spiders, with many birds gobbling up the different bugs congregating around goldenrod.

Misconceptions

• Goldenrod is not the culprit at the center of the trials and tribulations of those with hay fever. Plants like ragweed precipitate the bouts of sneezing and the watering of eyes associated with this allergy. Ragweed sends out copious amounts of minute pollen grains into the wind at the same time goldenrod is in bloom. The ragweed pollen causes hay fever, but because goldenrod flowers at that time, people associate it with their problems.