Goldenrod is Kentucky’s state flower, with nearly 100 species and 30 in Kentucky. It blooms in the fall and is often mistaken for causing allergies, but it’s actually ragweed. Goldenrod has ecological relationships with insects, including the goldenrod woodworm. It was used to make “liberty tea” during the Boston Tea Party and was considered a sign of good luck for finding underground springs or treasure. The movement to designate state flowers originated from garden clubs, which also encouraged women’s suffrage.
Goldenrod is the state flower of Kentucky. Its scientific name is solidago altissima, and goldenrod is native to all of Kentucky. There are nearly 100 species of goldenrod, and 30 species inhabit the Kentucky landscape. This yellow flower blooms in the fall.
Although many believe the Kentucky state flower triggers allergic reactions in humans, another plant is the real culprit. Ragweed, a plant that also blooms around the same time as goldenrod, is what produces the allergy symptoms. As the gardening movement entered the 20th century, gardening enthusiasts began searching for and designating the perfect flower for their respective states. Kentucky’s state flower is part of a national recognition of the nation’s horticultural heritage.
The Kentucky state flower has some fascinating ecological relationships with insects. Early in the growing season, goldenrod woodworms (Eurosta solidaginis) deposit their eggs on emerging goldenrod shoots. These flies then burrow inside the stem of the plant. The plant responds to the onslaught by forming a gall, which is a hard shell that can grow up to a couple of inches during the plant’s growing season.
Inside the hard shell of the gall, formed by the irritation of the plant by the presence of the insect, the fly larva actually produces a substance similar to antifreeze. This extraordinary biological response allows the larvae to survive the winter and make their way out of their protective winter quarters in the spring. It is short-lived, as the larvae mate and then die, within two weeks.
Goldenrod secured its place in American history, as the Boston Tea Party movement created a new “liberty tea,” brewed from golden flowers. Kentucky’s state flower was also considered a harbinger of good luck, as American colonists believed it to be a sign indicating underground springs or even buried treasure. It became the state flower of Kentucky in 1926.
The movement to officially designate state flowers in the United States originated from the fledgling nation’s garden clubs. Due to the massive destruction of the nation’s civic infrastructure as a result of the American Civil War in the 19th century, women formed garden clubs to address conservation and restoration issues. Another outflow from garden clubs was to encourage the women’s suffrage movement. Washington state became the first U.S. state to designate an official flower in 1892, allowing women to make rhododendron selection through a vote. It is no coincidence that Washington State was also the first state to grant women the general right to vote.
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