Goldenrods: The Severest Punishment or Sun Medicine?

Goldenrod. If any wildflower is an explosion of color, its goldenrod. Summer wanes, the sun drifts southward, evening falls earlier and the nights last longer, all reasons to roll over and suck my thumb. But then there's that damn goldenrod; bursts of sunshine in a flower, parting clouds and reeking of glee. That's all well and good, but some of you want some meat-on-the-bones botany, spiced with Latin and served over a variety of folk uses. It won't be easy; in 1901 Mabel Wright wrote, "(Goldenrods) are a byword among plant students, who say that if a botanist is ever condemned to the severest punishment that the underworld can mete, the penalty will be to write a monograph, accurately describing and identifying all known goldenrods."

You've been warned.

There are about 125 species of goldenrod worldwide, with more than 90 found here, in North America. New England, in particular, has been blessed with about 50 species. F. Schuyler Mathews, a contemporary of Mabel Wright, claimed to have found 15 different species along a quarter-mile stretch of road in New Hampshire. Some species are common from coast to coast; some grow in a single location.

Goldenrods are members of the ubiquitous Sunflower Family (Asteraceae). Their generic Solidago means "to make whole." They are all perennials, and most are too damn difficult for me to tell apart.

Among wildflowers that bloom on spikes, some species of goldenrod are unique; their flowers bloom from the top of the spike downward. Most plants with spikes of flowers begin blooming from the bottom, working their way up. As one of the few flowers left in autumn, it is a popular food source among insects. Given that, it's not surprising that Praying Mantis egg cases are often found among the sunny blossoms. That's where the food is.

To make whole" tells us what high medicinal esteem goldenrod was once held in. The Chippewa took it one step further, calling it "sun medicine." They used Tall Goldenrod (Solidago altissima) to relieve cramps. They also used Early Goldenrod (S. juncea) to treat women's ailments, and convulsions.

Many species, particularly Sweet Goldenrod (S. odora), with its strong anise scent, have been uses to make tea. During the American Revolution it was often used instead of British tea, and during the 19th century it was imported to China, where it fetched a high price. Even witches were said to use goldenrod in their potions.

And as any home textile enthusiast can tell you, many goldenrods make a fine yellow dye.

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