Goldenrod is a common wildflower. About 100 kinds of goldenrods grow in North America, and a few grow in Europe. Goldenrods grow along dry roadsides, in moist woods, in swamps and peat bogs, and in prairies and fields. They are also cultivated. The most common kinds include the early goldenrod, the large, handsome Canada goldenrod, the wreath, the showy, and the sweet goldenrod.
The goldenrod has a slender stem like a wand. The leaves and stem may be smooth or hairy. The leaves may also have toothed, or jagged, edges. The bright yellow, or deep golden, flowers grow in thick, graceful clusters at the top of the stem. The flowers bloom in the summer and the autumn. Many people incorrectly believe that the pollen of goldenrod causes hay fever and similar allergies. Its pollen is too moist and sticky to float freely through the air. The pollen of ragweed and several other plants with light pollen, easily carried by the wind, is the real cause.
The goldenrod is a favorite flower in America. Kentucky and Nebraska have adopted the goldenrod as their state emblem. People often dry the early goldenrod for floral interior decoration. Some brew the leaves of the sweet goldenrod to make tea. These leaves also produce an oil, used as a tonic. Thomas A. Edison developed a method for extracting natural rubber from the goldenrod, but the process proved to be too expensive for commercial use.
