Ragweed, goldenrod two separate plants

By My Courier-Tribune

As summer draws closer to an end, many people begin to experience the dreaded itchy eyes and runny nose that comes along with blooming ragweed, reports the state conservation department.

“While this irritating plant earns every bit of its reputation for being the leading cause of late-season hay fever, another plant often takes the blame for these sneezy symptoms, states a release from the Missouri Department of Conservation. Goldenrod, a bright, showy native flower, blooms around the same time as ragweed. With goldenrod being more attention-grabbing than ragweed, many allergy sufferers associate their symptoms with this plant.

“Not only is goldenrod beautiful to look at with its bright yellow flowers, but it is also a highly beneficial plant for pollinators. The flowers contain an abundant amount of sticky pollen, which clings to the many insects that visit the plant’s bright blooms. Not only is this great for pollination, but it also makes goldenrod far less likely to invoke the sniffles than ragweed, whose pollen is more powder-like and spreads on the wind,” reads the release.

The most obvious way to tell these plants apart is to look at their flowers.

“Goldenrod has bright yellow clusters of flowers while ragweed has much smaller, non-showy green flowers. There are also notable differences in leaf structure, but with many different species of each plant occurring in Missouri, the leaf shape can vary,” states MDC.

To learn more about goldenrod and ragweed, visit the Missouri Department of Conservation’s website at mdc.mo.gov.