Goldenrod
Goldenrod, also known as
Canada Goldenrod, is mostly found in the meadows and pastures and along roadsides in North America. There are also a handful of species from Mexico, South America, and Eurasia.
Goldenrods are considered weeds by many in North America but they are prized as garden plants in Europe, where British gardeners adopted
Goldenrod long before Americans. The Europeans use
Goldenrod as an ornamental plant/herb in their gardens as well as for many medicinal remedies.
Goldenrod only began to gain some acceptance in American gardening (other than wildflower gardening) during the 1980s!
The Hopi and Navajo Indians, and the Pennsylvania Dutch have used
Goldenrod as a dye. The leaves and flowers make a wide range of yellows, gold, and greens.
Parts of
Goldenrods can be edible when cooked and are popular in making tea.
Goldenrod flowers make bright and beautiful flower decorations. Goldenrods are held as a sign of good luck or good fortune.
Its astringent properties make
Goldenrod highly useful in salves and creams for wounds, sores, and insect bites.
A long-standing misconception is that
Goldenrod causes hay fever. It's often confused with the effects of ragweed, as the pollen of this herb is far to heavy and moist to be blown around in the air.
Goldenrod is the state flower of the U.S. states of Kentucky (adopted March 16, 1926) and Nebraska (adopted April 4, 1895).
Also available:
Queen Anne's Lace Seeds
Red Clover Seeds
Herb Garden Starter Kit
