If allergies are bothering you, ragweed may be the culprit. (Provided photo — Diane Chase)

Has the sneezing season started for you? You know the one. The Adirondack season that follows blackfly, mushroom and slug seasons. With the jolt of that first sneeze, I know autumn is on its way.

For any fellow allergy sufferers, please don’t blame your symptoms on the goldenrods. Those bright yellow flowered plants provide nectar for monarchs and bees.

An acquaintance recently asked me why I have a garden full of ragweed. I don’t. I scour my property for that devil to pull it up before it goes to seed. Sadly, I don’t have the energy or legal right to also cleanse private fields and roadsides. Goldenrod and ragweed are not the same plant but are often mistaken for each other.

I have a pollinator garden, but my gardening habits lean toward doing as little work as possible. That means distinguishing the beneficial plants from the troublesome ones can be difficult. Goldenrod is one of the good weeds. This late-blooming plant provides nectar for monarchs, moths, beetles and pollen for beneficial insects. Its seeds are a source of protein for birds, such as nuthatches, goldfinches, and grosbeaks. The goldenrod’s pollen grains are heavy and stay near the plant, so it is mainly pollinated by insects attracted to its bright yellow flowers. The plant can be aggressive in a garden because it spreads by rhizomes and seeds.

On the other hand, ragweed uses wind for pollination. Each plant can have thousands of tiny lightweight pollen grains. The plant gets its name for its ragged, toothed leaves that can look similar to fern fronds. Ragweed’s flowers are nondescript and easily blend into fields, yards, and gardens. Ragweed’s yellow-green, spiked flowers grow at the top of each branch and each joint. Ragweed also self-pollinates. The male flowers produce the pollen at the plant’s top, while the female flowers are found below, along the leaf axils. The evil weed certainly knows how to survive.

There are bound to be people actually allergic to goldenrod. It just isn’t usually the culprit. Someone would have to get really close to the plant to inhale goldenrod’s pollen. It can happen. Most likely, ragweed is to blame. Keep tissues handy. The pollen counts are going up. Good luck!