Goldenrod

Solidago canadensis

Asteraceae

A hay-scented late-summer infusion, unfairly blamed for ragweed, useful when the head is thick.

Asteraceae. Often blamed for ragweed’s August sneezing — goldenrod is insect-pollinated.

Parts used: Flowering tops · Leaf
Traditional notes: Late-summer hay-fever folklore · A thick-head cup · Traditional urinary tea
Grow · USDA 6b: Perennial, USDA 3–9 Seed or a division. It will wander. In work: Jul · Aug · Sep
Harvest: As the plumes open, before they go to fluff. Hang or screen-dry.

Cut for the vase and the tin in the same week.
Leave some for the bees — it is a late nectar plant.

Safety

Asteraceae allergy Anaphylaxis as a substitute for a plan

Lore

Solidago means to make whole. American goldenrod went to European gardens as an ornamental and then as a tea. The hay-fever rap is mostly ragweed’s. Eclectic physicians used the tops for a thick head and a dragging bladder. If it is blooming in your hand and you are sneezing, look at the ragweed next to it.

The Herbarium — a teaching catalog, not a clinic. Traditional use is history, not a prescription. USDA 6b dates are a week either way, not a promise. Do not eat, drink, or harvest a plant you cannot name.