Have you seen yellow flowering plants along the side of the road or in people’s gardens? They are probably goldenrods. Last week, I talked about the hidden green flowers of ragweed that are the culprits behind hay fever. I mentioned that goldenrods often get the blame, so let’s talk about goldenrods.
Are they a wildflower or a weed? Many people know the name goldenrod, but the plant they are calling goldenrod may not be the same as someone else’s goldenrod. There are over 100 species in the Solidago genus in the aster family that are goldenrods, but there are several other genera in the aster family that are called goldenrod. Plus, there are other plants that are not in the aster family that are called goldenrods, such as woolly mullein.
