In praise of edible, incredible goldenrod
Our thoughts about what is beautiful can — and often do — change.
Ben looks at fashion from the 1970s and laughs at the gaudy colours, big platform shoes, and men in long hair and chunky sideburns. Hey, this was Mark back in the day. Careful, son!
Milkweed has been in fashion for a while now, but years ago it was an enemy garden weed. It was, that is, until its relationship to the beloved monarch butterflies was brought to public attention. Today, we see milkweed seeds available for sale from most Canadian seed suppliers. The plant went from noxious weed to a desirable plant that people want and buy seeds to grow.
This is a good thing — for the beautiful milkweed, for butterflies, for people and for the environment.
We believe goldenrod (Solidago) is next to have its natural beauty redeemed in the court of public opinion.
One myth plaguing goldenrod is that people are allergic to it. But it is ragweed, instead, that is predominantly responsible for hay fever in much of North America. Goldenrod’s showy, pollen-rich yellow flowers happen to bloom at the same time that ragweed is at its height. Goldenrod flowers are sticky and do not blow in the wind.
Goldenrod has some phenomenal traits.
Of the 120 or so species within the Solidago genus, about 80 are native to North America. By our standards, native plants cannot be weeds — they are wildflowers. See how we elevated their reputation just by
changing the “W” word: from weeds to wildflowers?
Goldenrod herbal tea has been used as an anti-inflammatory medicine by First Nation communities since pre-settler times. Young goldenrod leaves are even edible on their own.
Humans aren’t the only ones who can consume goldenrod. Emily Damstra, a naturalscience illustrator in Guelph, Ont. refers to goldenrod as “a biodiversity superhero.”
“Hundreds of different insect and spider species make use of goldenrod,” says Damstra. “One of my favourites is the caterpillar of the Goldenrod Hooded owlet moth — Cucullia asteroides. These lovely insects come in a few different colour morphs; I love encountering them because they’re like jewels hidden among the foliage and flowers.
“Goldenrod hosts many different caterpillar species, which is important because
most of the terrestrial birds in North America feed their young primarily with caterpillars.”
Damstra spent a year studying goldenrod and the insects, spiders, and various other organisms supported by it, which culminated in three published articles and a series of scientific illustrations sold as artwork. You can find her work online at emilydamstra.com/ projects/goldenrod/.
Another point about goldenrod is its year-round value, as Damstra illustrates in her series. “When goldenrod are at their peak in late summer, numerous bees and other pollinators will be the first animal life you’ll see. Later this fall, you can still find insect larvae in among the seeds, and small spiders on patrol. In winter, a variety of galls that goldenrod hosts are evident, and in spring, signs of leaf miners are abundant.”
Galls are one of Ben’s favourite features of the goldenrod — the bulb-like growths on the stem that are induced by larvae of different insect species. Parasitic wasps in turn lay their eggs in the larvae, which feed on the plant from inside these bulbs. It is not uncommon for woodpeckers to feed on the insects living inside the gall, another display of ecological theatre.
Cultivated varieties of goldenrod are increasingly common, most of which thrive in full sun and moderate soil types. Now is a good time to divide any existing bunches you might have. “Fireworks” goldenrod (Solidago rugosa) is a cultivar with arching flowers that appear to burst as the name implies, and “Bluestemmed” goldenrod (Solidago caesia) is unique for its partial shade tolerance — a bright way to colour in some darker corners of the garden.
Of course, you can always find goldenrod naturalized in ditches and meadows and right now is a good time of year to enjoy the last golden splendour of the season. The blooms are often found among Queen Anne’s lace and New England aster, with the white, purple and yellow playing off of one another in a colourful and wild work of art in nature.