As we move into fall, the colors of the landscape begin to change from the brilliant reds, purples, lavenders, and pinks of summer to the deeper colors of autumn—yellows, golds, oranges, deep reds, and browns.
As these seasonal changes in nature relate to our own rhythms, I was taught to eat and make herbal preparations according to the season. Incorporating colorful foods like squash, pumpkin, fall apples, and tomatoes is an easy way to eat seasonally, and when it comes to making seasonal herbal preparations, one doesn’t have to look far to see the bright yellow flowers of goldenrod (Solidago spp.) as well as several other fall herbs.
Goldenrod is a beneficial wildflower that blooms abundantly in late summer and early fall across much of North America. With its bright golden-yellow flowers, this plant brings vibrant color along roadsides, fields, and meadows during autumn. But goldenrod has uses beyond just its ornamental beauty – it has a long history of herbal use for natural remedies and health benefits. Learning how to properly identify, harvest, and preserve goldenrod can allow you to craft your own teas, tinctures, salves, and more using this abundant fall wildflower.
Identifying Goldenrod for Harvesting
There are over 100 species of goldenrod, but some of the most common include Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) and blue-stemmed goldenrod (Solidago caesia). These herbaceous perennials can grow anywhere from 2 to 7 feet tall depending on conditions. They produce dense branched clusters of bright golden-yellow flowers atop thin, elongated stems. The leaves are lance-shaped with toothed edges.
Goldenrod grows in a variety of habitats from fields, meadows, thickets, and open woods to roadsides, disturbed soils, and drainage ditches. It thrives in partial sunlight and spreads readily via underground rhizomes This plant is found across most of North America except for the far northern areas.
Properly identifying goldenrod is important before harvesting it for herbal use Some plants like ragweed can cause allergic reactions, so you want to make sure you avoid those and identify the correct goldenrod species. If unsure, consult a wildflower field guide or forage with an experienced herbalist who can help you positively identify goldenrod.
When to Harvest Goldenrod
Timing your harvest is crucial to get goldenrod at its peak for herbal remedies. Here are tips on when to harvest different parts of this plant:
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Leaves – Harvest leaves before flowers appear in early-mid summer. Choose healthy, vibrant leaves and avoid any with damage or mildew.
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Flowers – Harvest goldenrod flowers when in full bloom in late summer into fall. Pick clusters when tiny individual blooms are open and bright yellow.
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Stems – Cut stems along with flowers during flowering season. Select long, straight, healthy stems.
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Roots – Dig roots after foliage dies back in late fall/early winter once ground freezes.
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Seeds – Collect seed heads after blooms fade and go to seed in mid-late fall.
Ideally harvest in morning after any dew dries but before mid-day heat. Also choose locations away from roadsides or polluted areas.
How to Harvest Goldenrod
Follow these steps for properly harvesting goldenrod:
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Seek permission if foraging on private property. Only harvest where permitted.
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Use scissors or pruners to selectively cut branches with an abundance of leaves, flowers, or straight stems.
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When taking roots, carefully dig out plants using a shovel or digging fork. Replace any disturbed soil.
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Avoid overharvesting – take no more than 20% of each plant. Leave some flowers/seeds for bees and wildlife.
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Place plant material in paper or cloth bags (not plastic) and keep out of direct sun.
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Label your harvest bags with details like plant name and location. Record the harvest date.
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Clean materials thoroughly at home removing any damaged portions.
Sustainable harvesting is key when wildcrafting goldenrod. Never decimate local populations by taking too much.
Drying and Preserving Goldenrod
Proper drying helps preserve goldenrod’s medicinal potency and shelf life. Here are effective drying methods:
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Leaves – Dry loose leaves on screens or in paper bags in a warm, well-ventilated area out of direct sun. They are fully dry when crumbly.
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Flowers – Hang flower clusters or lay singly on screens. Keep out of sunlight to preserve color. Well-dried flowers retain bright yellow hues.
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Roots – Slice roots and dry on screens or in a dehydrator until brittle. Roots are very hardy, so drying thoroughly is key.
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Seeds – Dry seed heads on screens until seeds shake loose for storage.
Monitor drying materials closely to prevent mold growth. Discard any moldy portions. Store fully dry goldenrod in airtight glass jars away from light.
Using Your Harvested Goldenrod
Once thoroughly dried, goldenrod can be used to create:
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Teas – Infuse dried leaves/flowers for anti-inflammatory and diuretic teas. Add honey to improve flavor.
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Tinctures – Macerate fresh flowers in vodka for several weeks, then strain to make a medicinal extract.
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Salves – Infuse dried flowers in carrier oils, then add beeswax to create healing topical salves.
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Syrups – Make herbal cough/cold syrup using fresh or dried goldenrod flowers.
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Culinary – Use fresh/dried flowers to add flavor, color, and nutrition to foods.
With proper identification, ethical harvesting, and drying techniques, the golden blooms of this abundant wildflower can provide medicinal remedies, culinary enhancement, and natural inspiration during the autumn months.
Key Tips for Harvesting Goldenrod
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Correctly identify goldenrod species before harvesting – consult field guides or forage with an expert.
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Time your harvest when the plant part needed is at its peak – flowers blooming, leaves vibrant, roots ready.
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Employ sustainable harvesting practices – never take too much, leave some behind to propagate.
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Dry thoroughly on screens or in paper bags out of sunlight to retain potency and color.
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Craft teas, tinctures, salves, syrups, and more with your harvest of this beautiful fall wildflower.
Learning how to respectfully forage and preserve goldenrod allows you to tap into this plant’s herbal potential and natural seasonal bounty. With its bright golden blooms and wellness benefits, goldenrod is a wonderful medicinal and edible wildflower to get to know.
Goldenrod: A Bountiful Fall Herb
The Solidago genus of plants are in the Aster family (Asteraceae) and have between forty and sixty different species in North America. Unfortunately, goldenrod is often blamed for hay fever, but it is ragweed that is the culprit! Goldenrod’s showy flowers catch the eye more readily than the more subtle ragweed, drawing attention (and blame) to itself, but its pollen is not airborne. Instead, goldenrod is pollinated by bees and other insects.
Goldenrod has many uses, both health-wise and culinary. You can read more about the health benefits of goldenrod here.
Because goldenrod is bountiful in the cool, autumn months, it can be a great herb to forage and use in herbal preparations. Here are three tips to keep in mind when you are foraging goldenrod this year.
Timing Is Everything
Harvesting any herb requires your full attention to the stages it goes through in order to harvest the plant for optimal benefits, and goldenrod is no exception.
Goldenrod Leaves
When I’m foraging goldenrod, I prefer to harvest the leaves just before the flowers open or when some are open and others are just opening. Goldenrod is prone to powdery mildew and rust, so choose your leaves with care to avoid infected leaves. In fact, it is best to keep an eye on the overall condition of the plant when foraging goldenrod, harvesting from healthy, robust plants.
Goldenrod Flowers
Be aware that drying goldenrod flowers (when in full bloom) often leads to the flowers turning to fluff so I like to use the flowers fresh.
Goldenrod Seeds
Some people will wait until the goldenrod goes to seed before foraging and drying the seeds.
Goldenrod Roots
Harvest the roots in the fall after the first heavy frost. Wash them well, cut them up into small, thin pieces, and dehydrate them thoroughly.
Time of Day for Foraging Goldenrod
I typically forage after the dew has dried and before the sun is at its hottest. That is around 11:00 AM this time of year where I live.
I try to get my harvest processed immediately. If drying, I put them in the food dehydrator. Air drying in the fall can be tricky due to dampness and lack of warm temperatures. If the temperature is high, I like to place my foraged material in brown paper bags (mark them so you don’t forget what they are) and put them in the backseat of my car. Then, I’ll park in the sun with the windows open so air can circulate. This is ideal in the summer, but if you want to do this during the fall months, you have to be careful to pick the best day for it.
3 Ways to use Goldenrod | How to Harvest & Make Goldenrod Tea, Infused vinegar & Infused Oil
FAQ
How to pick a golden rod?
Harvest goldenrod when the flowers are bright yellow. If you wait too long, they start to look dull, then dry into little puffs of seeds. They can still be used at that point but the color will be less vibrant.
What part of the goldenrod do you use?
It has uses in both traditional Chinese medicine and herbal medicine in some European countries ( 1 ). To reap its benefits, people consume the parts of the plant that grow above ground — particularly the flowers and leaves ( 2 ). You can buy goldenrod as a tea or dietary supplement as well.
How do you prepare goldenrod for medicinal use?
- Weigh out 1 ounce of dried goldenrod and 5 fl oz vodka.
- In a clean glass mason jar, add measured dried herb. …
- Cap the jar tightly, label, and place in a dark cabinet or pantry for 4 to 6 weeks.
- Once the tincture is ready, pour out the vodka through a muslin cloth and strainer.
How do you harvest goldenrod?
To harvest goldenrod, cut the flowering tops of the plant to dry. This includes the top part with most of the flowers, along with leaves and stems. The best time to harvest is on a dry day or when rain and dew aren’t on the plant, preferably in a dry sunny mid-morning.
What tool should you use to harvest goldenrod?
Harvest goldenrod flowers on a dry day or when rain and dew aren’t on the plant. A dry sunny mid-morning is a perfect time, but work with the weather you have. Bring a pair of scissors or plant snips with you – goldenrod stems are tough to break with just your hands.
Can goldenrod be harvested sustainably?
But this plant has uses beyond just its ornamental beauty. Goldenrod has a long history of use as an herbal remedy, and many herbalists harvest this plant to make teas, tinctures, salves, and more. In this article, we will explore tips and best practices for sustainably harvesting goldenrod.
When is the best time to harvest goldenrod?
A dry sunny mid-morning is a perfect time to harvest goldenrod flowers, but work with the weather you have. Cut the flowering tops of goldenrod to dry – that means the top part of the plant that has most of the flowers.
How do you preserve goldenrod?
Sustainable harvesting is key when wildcrafting goldenrod. Never harvest endangered populations, and only take what you need from healthy, abundant plants. Taking too much can threaten the survival of local populations. Proper drying is crucial for preserving goldenrod’s medicinal properties. Here are some tips:
How do you propagate goldenrod?
Optimal Growing Conditions for Goldenrod: Goldenrod can propagate through seeds or by dividing the plant. When propagating through seeds, one should plant them in late fall or early spring. Division, best done in the spring or fall, is a practical method for controlling growth and managing the spread of goldenrod varieties.