From Oregon to Maryland, coast to coast, with stops along the highways of the midwest, it's now electrifying roadsides, brightening streams and illuminating woodlands. Though it sings the same notes first introduced by the daffodils of spring, it's the last brash wildflower of the year. Last hint, its botanic name rhymes with How'd Your Day Go.
The answer is?
10:59 PM ET | 09-23-2008 | permalink
Ha! Solidago?
Solidago!
Goldenrod
Would it happen to be Goldenrod? With the botanical name of Solidago, I think it's a fairly safe bet.
solidago
Brilliant! Clearly I've got to up the ante. Since I'm currently in Flora, Illinois, I'll see what I can find to stump you tomorrow (not going to be easy, either, given that all I'm seeing is goldenrod, soy beans and feed corn)...
The first thing that comes to mind is Winnebago.
The weather's great, but brings a curse:
It's made the horrid ragweed worse.
With constant sniffles, frequent sneezes,
Along with all the coughs and wheezes,
Sweet Solidago gets the blame
When ragweed makes our eyes inflame.
But goldenrod presages autumn.
Want gorgeous roadside flowers? We've got 'em!
Our national flower if Franklin chose,
instead we got the foreign rose.
And Europeans delight to seed
Their gardens with our native weed.
Strength with beauty, there's no doubt;
They're thriving through the Georgia drought!
Glad to know my plant ID education has not gone to waste. I knew it was 'Solidago' before I could remember what Solidago is!
Julie! That's a riot. Did you write it?
yeah, I wrote it. A combination of a serious Goldenrod addiction and a willingness to do just about anything to avoid grading papers . . . and we are having a really, really bad ragweed year. Everybody I know is miserable--even those of us who don't usually have fall allergies.
Julie, the poem was a delight. I love reading this feature.
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