I see my last post was in the Spring. Where did the time go? I did have quite a few posts on my Instagram page, sharing the Buffalo Fling. Be sure to check them out.
We have lots of fall-blooming weeds/flowers in our area. One that is prevalent in open landscapes resembles dandelion seedheads. It is Burnweed, Erechtites hieraciifolus. I was surprised to read that it is a member of the daisy family. This plant is native to North America and is a pioneer species, meaning it will sprout and grow soon after the disruption of soil. There are trees that are pioneer species, as well as mosses and fungi. These are plants that need full sun and sprout quickly. Burnweed seedheads have numerous seeds. The best control is to remove it by pulling the plant before the seedheads open.
The leaves are elliptical with toothed margins and have an unpleasant odor when crushed. The stems are grooved. If the plant falls over it will easily root from the stem wherever there is soil contact. It can grow quite tall, 8- 10 feet!
The flowers are barely visible. When I first observed it, I kept waiting for the flower to open. Apparently it doesn’t really open. It is pollinated primarily by wasps. Once the flower has been pollinated, it will open to white fluffy hairs that will distribute seeds far and wide.
Burnweed has medicinal uses, both topically and internally. Native Americans used it to treat poison ivy and other plant-induced rashes. It can also be used to induce vomiting. I do not advocate using this for any digestive ailments.
Burnweed reduces atmospheric nitrogen dioxide pollution. It absorbs the greenhouse gases and changes it into organic form. Natural pollution control.
Do you suffer from seasonal allergies? Is fall your worst season? Is it Goldenrod or is it Ragweed? Both are fall bloomers.
Native bees, moths, butterflies, wasps, and honey bees like Goldenrod, a beautiful yellow flower that is blooming now. Unfortunately, it gets a bad rap because it blooms at the same time as Ragweed, a primary cause of allergies. Here are the facts about the two fall bloomers.
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| Solidago sp. |
Goldenrod, Solidago sp has large pollen. It needs pollinators to move the pollen from one flower to another. This is apparent when you stand nearby and watch all the activity. Large pollen is not airborne; you can’t breathe it in. Goldenrod is native to the United States, and there are dozens of species in the Solidago genus. One that we see in our drain fields and meadows is tall Goldenrod, Solidago altissima, that can grow over 6 feet tall!
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| Ragweed blooms |
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| Ragweed plant |
The allergy culprit is Ragweed, Ambrosia artemisiifolia, a green leafy ‘weed’ that grows in the woodlands, meadows, roadsides, and sometimes- your garden! The flowers are tiny and are pollinated by the wind. See the photo of the small flowers. The pollen needs to be airborne to move from the male flowers to reach the female flowers. The only interaction from wildlife may be by birds, who eat some of the seeds, thereby spreading the seeds to new locations.
Next time you sneeze and blame a fall blooming flower, its name is Ragweed!
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Janet. All rights reserved. Content created by Janet for
The Queen of Seaford.
words and photos by Janet, The Queen of Seaford.
