Goldenrod (Solidage speciosa)
John Muir said this of goldenrod: “The fragrance, color and form of the whole spiritual expression of Goldenrod are hopeful and strength-giving beyond any others I know. A single spike is sufficient to heal unbelief and melancholy.”
Goldenrod has many particular traits that make it so attractive. It is tolerant of just about every difficult condition: heat, drought, poor soil and deer. A marvelous cut flower and one of the best fillers in bouquets, it provides elegant pyramids and plumes of sunshine and echoes of the golden glow of summer.
In the garden it is long blooming, easy to grow, spreads like crazy (some would say invasive but that sounds so menacing) and attracts bees and butterflies. Unfairly blamed for causing hay fever (the real culprit is ragweed), its pollen is heavy and cannot be spread by wind, only by bees. Keep in mind that the October Plant of the Month, elderberry, relieves sinus ailments. Goldenrod carries gall fly larvae, which downy woodpeckers like to eat. Those nummy larvae are packed with the fat, protein and calories that birds need to survive the winter.
