Sunny Yellow Goldenrod Attracts Beneficial Insects

This photo from our garden shows a Goldenrod Spider on a Coneflower. This is one of the critters that lurks amongst goldenrod waiting for a meal to arrive.

We have several varieties of goldenrod and the last one is in bloom. Soon they will all be drying seeds but even then they will be giving life to the birds that eat them.

I was surprised to find that goldenrod was being sold at the garden center the last time I was there. That's exciting! People are finding out the benefits of this wonderful plant that has been falsely blamed for hayfever and Fall allergies. The bloom of the ragweed that is responsible for the allergy factor is similar to goldenrod.

Many beneficial insects are attracted to this plant. Here's an article about gardening with goldenrod: Autumn Beauties for the Garden

"This Week at Hilton Pond" featured a segment on goldenrod recently. The photographs on his articles are worth the look in themselves, but the article, A Glorious (But Gory) Goldenrod Patch, is delightful, showing you the predators that lurk there. Those predators are welcome visitors for the gardener.