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Upcoming Events | Meet the Instructors | Plant Archive | Mushroom Archive
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Goldenrod (Solidago spp.) is a group of 75+ species in the United States. Goldenrod gets a bad reputation for causing allergies, but it is insect pollinated so the pollen is not in the air. Goldenrod just happens to flower at the same time as the more conspicuous ragweed which many people are allergic to.
Goldenrod produces yellow flowers in drooping clusters from mid-July to September. It has long and narrow leaves that grow alternately on the stem.
Goldenrod flowers can be used fresh as a garnish in salad or brewed into a tea. Goldenrod leaves were a common tea substitute when colonists refused to drink tea from Britain during the Revolutionary War. Leaves can also be cooked like spinach or added to soups.
Flowers and leaves can be used in salves for aches and pains. Goldenrod tea is used medicinally to treat seasonal allergies, colds, flu, and high cholesterol.
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Written by Amy Demers, founder of the Connecticut Foraging Club. To learn more about foraging in Connecticut, check out our upcoming classes.
