What’s your favourite colour? Bright yellow. Honestly, it’s all I wear August through October. Come down to the trails, the shores, the fields and say hello. You can’t miss me!
Do you have a nickname? Goldenrod is actually a nickname. Over the centuries, folks have viewed me as a symbol of good fortune—not a weed! Some even believe that my golden flowers point toward hidden treasure. In formal company, I’m called Solidago, which means “to make whole.” But I’ve lived on these lands for thousands of years so I have many names in many languages. If you happen to know my Indigenous names, please leave a comment below.
Ever been misunderstood? Haven’t we all! I’m often mistaken for ragweed and therefore blamed for hay fever. It’s true that I’m a great producer of pollen. That’s why native bees love me. In fact, many insects rely on me completely. My leaves and shoots feed more butterfly and moth species than any other flowering herb. But rest assured, the pollen I produce is too heavy and sticky to be carried by wind and therefore unlikely to get up your nose.
BFFs? You’ve probably seen me hanging out with Purple Aster. We’re more than BFFs: we’re in the same family, Asteraceae. Robin Wall Kimmerer has a beautiful essay about our friendship in her book Braiding Sweetgrass.
Do you have a secret claim to fame? Thomas Edison tried to turn me into tires. It’s true! In the 1920s, he was keen to find a North American source of rubber, partly for war preparations. He experimented with thousands of plants and deemed me the most promising. But commercial production never happened because synthetic rubber production boomed during World War II.
What’s your superpower? Besides keeping countless insects alive? My leaves and flowers have been used in teas and tinctures for centuries, mainly to treat inflammation and fight infection. Research scientists are busy exploring exactly how this works, as well as any safety issues.
One wish? I’m bright, cheerful and play well with others. I’d love to be welcomed in more gardens, lawns and landscapes.
