Plants in Profile #18 - GOLDENROD (Solidago sp.)
There are three species of goldenrod growing around the Mound House property. These include the giant goldenrod, seaside goldenrod and slender goldenrod. These species of solidago all have become well adapted to surviving on the shell mound that comprises Mound House with the giant goldenrod often reaching heights of 12 feet or more. In the fall ,their vivid, bright yellow flowers decorate the road around the site and on the meadow.
Goldenrod is often blamed for causing hay fever and this is inaccurate. Historically, goldenrod has been used for making tea to treat kidney stones, and was chewed by native Americans to treat sore throats .Goldenrod produces a spicy tasting honey. Looking for a domestic source of high quality, inventor Thomas Edison utilized goldenrod to produce rubber, and the tires on the Model T given to him by Henry Ford were made of goldenrod. While producing a very high quality product ,this production was soon supplanted by the invention of synthetic rubber from petroleum products.
