The beautiful yellow flower sprays of goldenrod aren't the cause of late summer hay fever. The most common culprit is ragweed. Goldenrod is pollinated by insects and its pollen is heavy and sticky, while ragweed is wind pollinated. Dust-like ragweed pollen readily becomes airborne and that's why it ends up in our sinuses.
Goldenrod is often blamed for hay fever because it blooms at the same time as ragweed and is very showy, while ragweed blends in with the background. Ragweed does have some redeeming features, however. It is a native plant with wildlife value, as birds eat the seeds. It's also an important colonizer of old fields and other disturbed areas.
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| Goldendrod flower sprays. |
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| Ragweed has deeply lobed, "raggedy" leaves. |
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| Ragweed flowers are green. |
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