The Golden Scapegoat was originally published in the BFEC Newsletter, Vol.13/No. 3, Summer 2009.
For many, fields in summer bloom bring no joy. Waves of golden flowers conjure not poetry but the names of allergists and antihistamines. While we would never make light of the discomfort caused by seasonal allergy symptoms, we do feel it important to make a stand for an oft and incorrectly-maligned plant: goldenrod.
Routinely blamed for causing hay fever, goldenrod is in fact innocent on all counts. Its sticky pollen is transported chiefly by insects, not the wind as is the case with allergy-inspiring pollen. Less than 2 percent of wind-born summer pollen comes from goldenrod. When your allergies act up this year, consider placing blame on another plant: ragweed.
There are two types of ragweed in Ohio and together they are likely responsible for the majority of hay fever cases. Unlike goldenrod, whose brightly-colored flowers attract helpful pollinators, ragweed’s small green flowers produce staggering amounts of pollen that is broadcast by air currents. One plant can produce literally millions of grains of pollen and cover an area over a mile in diameter. So this August, go ahead and pick yourself a nice golden bouquet and keep your eyes peeled for those inconspicuous pollen bombs lurking among the weeds. Catch them early and you’ll save on tissues!