Solidago has a bad reputation, but there are many reasons to love it – from its use as a tea to all of its healing modalities.
A hint of color on the leaves, the smell of hay bales, the first crisp breath in the air, and the royal brilliance of golden yellow. These are the whispers of nature: “Something is coming.”
Solidago marks the change of seasons. It comes out mid-summer to late summer and joins us into fall. It’s a burst of color, the beauty of a transitional landscape, and a last-minute food source for bees as they prepare for cold weather.
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The exact timing of the goldenrod will vary depending on your location and the species that are common around you. But I appreciate that sentiment, whenever it comes. For some, this golden rod may be a weed or even a target of contempt, but for me it was my favorite part of the season and a friend back from a long stay.
gold rush
Most solidago species are native to North America, although other native species do exist elsewhere and are common throughout North Africa, Europe, and much of Asia. Some American species have also found their way to new homes abroad. My understanding is that some of them are now invading through parts of Europe.
There is a bit of historical irony in this. You see, daylily was one of the colonists’ main tea substitutes after the Boston Tea Party in 1773. So, we pour other people’s tea into our port – our tea into theirs. Hooray…coffee?
Solidago is fairly tolerant of soil types. You can find them in everything from sandy soil to clay. They like rich soil, but can do without it. They also like full sun but will tolerate a little shade. The first yellow flowers to appear in my yard were semi-shady clays that were not fertile to speak of.
All day lilies are goldenrod genus. They are mostly herbaceous perennials, which means that the aerial parts die each year but re-emerge from the same rootstock.
Several species exist, and it can be a bit of a headache to tell them apart. Thankfully, this only matters when flavors are involved, and here’s a simple life hack: taste them.
The easiest way to identify solidago as a group is by their clusters of bright yellow flowers. Keep in mind that this is a generalization, but goldenrod usually grows from a straight stem that forks at the top into bunches of small golden flowers. See what I’m talking about? Gold rod?
Only harvest healthy leaves. Solidago can be a host for toxic fungi that you really don’t want to eat.
Guilt of Association: Solidago and Ragweed
Hay fever sufferers sometimes attribute their suffering to this golden beauty. But this is almost always the result of associative guilt. The real culprit is ragweed. Both plants bloom around the same time and tend to grow in the same type of places.
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But while ragweed pollen is light and blown far and near by the wind, solidago pollen is waxy and heavy. It doesn’t spread very far, and even if we inhale it, the wax coating helps protect us from strong allergic reactions. Beyond that, goldenrod is gorgeous and dazzling, and ragweed tends to blend into the background, and you have the perfect scene to misplace accusations.
To be fair, you were able Allergic to daylily.it is at Compositae Families, it does cause trouble for some people. However, the nature of its pollen makes it less severe.
But what about other complaints? Isn’t daylily invasive? Won’t it take over? It depends on the species. But even for the most radical members, it’s a matter of opinion. You said “intrusive”. I say “friendly”.
But aren’t they weeds? Not at all! Weeds are useless plants. In my case, no weeds. . . except for grass. But we can discuss my own plant bias later. Now, I want to tell you all the uses of daylily.
9 reasons to love goldenrod
The best day lily smells like fennel. However, they come in a variety of flavors and smells, and you can eat whatever you like. Young leaves are edible like them. older leaves flowers are dried used for Tea For medicinal and culinary purposes. I eat it with a little cream and honey.
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The most famous tea yellow flower is a yellow stench, commonly known as sweet goldenrod or fennel goldenrod. But goldenrod can hybridize, so you should let the flavor be your guide.
In medicine, goldenrod is often used interchangeably. They may each have their own personalities and quirks, but there are many common qualities across the team. However, the favorite is probably the goldenrod (goldenrod)And, yes, this is a goldenrod native to Europe, not the upstart American colonial goldenrod.
This goldenrod has proven anti-catarrhal, Anti-inflammatory (medicine), Antibacterial, astringent, sweaty, windwardand diuretics characteristic. Or, in a nutshell, it helps you cough up, sweat, and clear whatever is bothering you. It helps kill bad bugs, dry and condition tissue, and relieve gas.
As mentioned earlier, tea is the most common form of medicinal use. However, the uses of goldenrod are much more than that. It can be used topically to help heal wounds, gargle to help treat laryngitis and pharyngitis, and as a tincture.
exist Herbology: The Science and Practice of Herbal MedicineDavid Hoffman recommends 2-4 ml of yellow flower tincture 3 times a day or 2-3 tsp infusions in 1 glass of water 3 times a day.
What do you think?
What do you think? Is goldenrod a weed or a wildflower? Tea or horror? Threat or Drug? (I had so much fun.) What are your favorite fall plants, or other signs of fall? It’s a wonderful time of year! Let’s share it together.
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This is an updated version of an article originally published on November 10, 2018. Authors may not be able to respond to comments at this time, but we encourage our community members to get involved, share their experiences and answer questions!
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Scott Sexton was a TGN trailblazer, highly experimental gardener, ruthless weed killer, and mostly nonprofit herbalist (to the chagrin of his wife).When Scott is not teaching foraging lessons, testing theories in the garden, or grazing in the forest, he can Facebook page, “Forager’s Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse.”
