Fall is slowly, but surely, making an appearance along the roadsides around Vicksburg. A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a post called The Colors of Indian Summer, which featured photos of leaves turning and a few close up shots of goldenrod, which was just beginning to bloom.
This past weekend, I visited some fields of goldenrod and captured its beauty at its peak (you can click on the pictures to enlarge them, if you'd like).
I did a little research on Goldenrod and discovered that it is the state flower of Kentucky and Nebraska, and used to be the state flower of Alabama, but was later rejected in favor of the camellia. Goldenrod was recently named the state wildflower for South Carolina.
A lot of folks suffer from hay fever this time of year and I discovered that goldenrod is often unfairly blamed for causing it. Actually, the pollen causing these allergy problems is mainly produced by Ragweed which blooms at the same time as goldenrod, but is wind-pollinated. Goldenrod pollen is too heavy and sticky to be blown far from the flowers, and is mainly pollinated by insects. If that is true, I think I will go back and pick a large bouquet for my patio table. It would make an absolutely gorgeous arrangement!
