Solidago: From background to foreground

Yesterday, I shared a photo. Perhaps you know what this is or maybe like me, you have seen this plant but are not aware of what it is.

What’s in a name

A little over a year ago, I decided to take the next step in becoming an entrepreneur and established my LLC name— I considered several possibilities and naming a business felt as important as naming a child. It had to be broad enough to allow flexibility to meet rapidly changing community needs while also solid enough to be meaningful in the present moment.

Then, while sitting under the shade of three mighty birch trees, the simple beauty of what looked to me before like weeds with yellow flowers, captured my attention. At the edge of the pond, there was a sea of waving yellow flowers atop tall, stalks with leaves growing from the near the base to the top of the flower— over 2 feet of leaves, topped with delicate looking, golden fronds of flowers. Up close, the yellow flowers were delicate looking and from afar they felt majestic and graceful to me. They swayed in the wind with ease and were hardy at the same time.

The way they invited my attention had me curious. Goldenrod— is the name they are commonly known as and the Latin Genus name— Solidago is what really captured my attention— and the meaning sealed it— to make whole. I began to envision a logo and font, but I wanted to learn a bit more first.

A plant often misunderstood
What else do I have to learn about solidago, I thought? I started to research, look for the plants in other areas, find out their purpose and I was humbled by how profoundly misunderstood they are. If you’ve read any of the Solidago Ventures and Consulting website, you may know this by now. If not, this is a plant that if you have seen it, you may well have dismissed it as a weed you knew little about at best or you may have thought it was to blame for seasonal allergies. Many people mistake solidago as the cause of allergies, when it is actually ragweed that is the cause. Often located on the margins of forests or other wetland or sandy areas— their position on the margins, does not indicate their value or worth.
(Is this reminding you of any human stories yet?)

Now, I knew the meaning of Solidago, that it was not an allergy causing plant— what else is there to know, I wondered. Who else knows the benefits of these plentiful golden flowers that seem to grow with ease in many places?

Cherished friend of pollinators

Spend just a few minutes with Solidago and you’ll notice it is a gathering place for pollinators— bees, butterflies and other insects are frequently around the golden blooms and are a significant source of both nectar and pollen. They are key late season pollinator plants— much like the last place to fuel up on a long stretch of highway— they are a welcome source of refueling. It seems pollinators have known the gifts of goldenrod for ages— it was me who had not noticed.

Healing properties

With a plant that treasured by pollinators, chances were good there was more left to notice and appreciate about Solidago. Indeed— people who live in close relationship with the land have long noticed the healing properties of goldenrod. It is used in tinctures and teas for a variety of reasons. To learn more or try goldenrod tea, you can check out Lakota Made, made by a Minnesota Indigenous Traditional Herbalist.

https://www.lakotamade.com/products/goldenrod-tea

Beauty

Healing and/or nourishing to humans and winged beings alike, it was easy to see how they stand out. In some parts of the world, they are a staple in flower bouquets. In this part of North America they tend to fly under the radar a bit more with humans— remaining part of the background to many.

And yet— once you notice them— they will reveal themselves in so many places it is hard to imagine once not knowing Solidago. You’ll notice the subtle and grander ways of their beauty and their expanded possibilities. In North America, they grow in so many places— if there is any water or green space nearby, chances are you’ll spy a patch of Solidago. You may even see an entire open field of goldenrod.

Why is Solidago a word to know and grow?

Where is she going with this, you might be asking yourself. What is the lesson from Solidago? You may have your own lessons from hearing this and for me what Solidago teaches me is this:

There are endless possibilities all around us— infinite, beautiful, and sometimes “hidden” in plain sight.

A year ago, I didn’t even know what Solidago was— now, it is the name of my LLC that reminds me of my why each day I say the name— to make whole and to heal. It calls me back to my why— and helps me remain committed and accountable as a citizen to the well being of the whole.

Sometimes we humans carry stories with us that are simply not true, because we don’t take time to be curious or understand more about what is in front of us. We can pass along false assumptions about who or what something is and what they really are about— Solidago is not the cause of allergies. It is also not a “weed” simply because we didn’t plant it and do not know what the plant is designed to do.

An invitation to notice and photograph Solidago

So the invitation for everyone reading this in August or September in North America is this— (and if you live somewhere where you do not have Solidago, you might go on a similar noticing expedition for another plant you may have seen but not understood)

Look outside around you— perhaps go for a walk, ride, or drive, or just look out a window. Notice where you see Solidago— who else is spending time there, what insects or other winged beings are gathering there? How does goldenrod sway in the wind? Take pictures of the goldenrod— even better— share them with all of us on social media. I am willing to bet— we will surprise each other with how commonly found this plant is, particularly in Minnesota right now.

Just like goldenrod— there are so many golden ideas, people, connections all around us— simply waiting for us to notice. You may even be the goldenrod yourself. What would it take for you to shine bravely so others can find you? For you to move from background to foreground?

May the photos we take remind us to look for the gold that always surrounds us and bring us hope, courage and joy as we reconnect with the gifts that already exist.

Looking forward to looking with you!

Kary

Solidago coming into focus