Can You Tell the Difference Between Ragweed and Goldenrod?

Ann Berkeley

Ragweed. Photo: Supplied.

Ragweed. Photo: Supplied.

One local landscape gardener admitted to the Times that he could not tell the difference between ragweed (bad) and Goldenrod (good.) He is not alone. Another gardening enthusiast, Wendy Olsen, of Millbrook says ignorance of the differences is greater the further away from the country that people live.

So what is the difference, and why does it matter? Well, this is the time of year, before the first frost, when hay fever sufferers start sneezing at airborne ragweed pollen. Ragweeds, unlike goldenrod, are not pollinated mainly by bees but rely on the wind. This means the pollen must be light which, in turn, means it is easy to breathe in; the result is sore noses and sinuses.

Goldenrod. Photo: Supplied.

Goldenrod. Photo: Supplied.

Ragweed causes half of all cases of pollen-related allergic rhinitis in North America and, unfortunately for us, is very common in southern Ontario. A single ragweed plant may produce about a billion grains of pollen in a single season. It’s a busy little entity.

It’s odd in a way that ragweed and Goldenrod get mixed up; they don’t look that much alike when side by side. While Goldenrod rises in a single bright golden plume, ragweed is less golden in aspect, and has five slender columns of florets rising from a single stem. If the florets stood erect rather than flopping over, the stem would look like a five-branched candlestick. Even the leaves of each plant are different; Goldenrod has small oval leaves lining each stem and ragweed has up to six large lacy, often hairy leaves that end in a point.

It’s important that we understand that Goldenrod is not the enemy, because both bees and wasps feed on its nectar and turn it into deep coloured, rich tasting honey. In our current situation where bees are suffering, it makes sense to encourage Goldenrod rather than digging it out of our gardens. Indeed, in some places, it is sign of good luck or good fortune…

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