August 19, 2004
"Trash Plant"
Common Ragweed
Ambrosia artemisiifolia
Goldenrods have long taken the rap for making people with allergies
miserable in late summer. Actually, it is Ragweed, an inconspicuous
plant with spikes of small green flowers, that causes their problems.
Ragweed is wind-pollenated: every breeze wafts billions
of ragweed pollen grains into the air .

Goldenrods are pollinated by insects. Their pollen has a sticky surface
that helps them attach to the insects' bodies for transport to other goldenrod flowers. This pollen does not blow in the wind.