Goldenrod -vs- Ragweed

Bright, beautiful goldenrod.

Sneaky green common ragweed.

The goldenrod is in bloom and with it, for many, comes the sneezing and sniffling and all that comes with the all too familiar summer/fall allergies. Don't go chopping down that goldenrod just yet, goldenrod has gotten a bad rap due to the silent green flowers that grow nearby on the common & great ragweed plant! 
Goldenrod's pollen is too heavy to travel through the air causing allergies, in fact, only about .1% of people are actually allergic to it. Ragweed on the other hand is the late summer allergy villain growing in the same areas as goldenrod, blooming at the same time, but going unnoticed due to the flowers that blend in to the greenery around.

Common Ragweed in bloom

Giant Ragweed in Bloom

Giant Ragweed in bloom

Goldenrod in bloom

Goldenrod in bloom

Goldenrod in bloom