Name: GoldenrodThings I already knew: I knew that it flowers around the same time as ragweed, that many claim to be allergic to it. I could identify it from a distance but had never seen it truly up close.
Things I recently learned: I thought they were rods of individual flowers but they are puffy miniature dandelion like flowers - very pretty.
According to wiki "the goldenrod is often unfairly blamed for causing hay fever in humans. The pollen causing these allergy problems is mainly produced by Ragweed (Ambrosia sp.), blooming at the same time as the goldenrod, but is wind-pollinated. Goldenrod pollen is too heavy and sticky to be blown far from the flowers, and is thus mainly pollinated by insects."
Interestingly there were "Galls" all around the ground where the ragweed from a few weeks ago had been mowed down.... we were unaware of what they were until much later. (The wiki article explains the galls - under the wasp photo!)
I also didn't know "Goldenrods are, in some places, held as a sign of good luck or good fortune;" as where I am - our society seems to find them a noxious weed!
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