Fairies, sneezes, and piles of gold
that ragweed was the favorite plant of the fairies. But it seems strange
that the fairies would like a plant that makes many people feel sick.
In most flowers there are tiny grains called pollen. Ragweed pollen is
like dust. It floats in the air. When it gets into people’s noses, it
causes an allergy called hay fever. Hay fever makes some people’s eyes
itchy and red. It makes their noses run, too. But most of all, it makes
them sneeze.
Long ago, people in Ireland believed
The plant called goldenrod is often blamed for making people sneeze,
too. But this is a mistake. Goldenrod pollen doesn’t float in the air.
It’s heavy and sticky.
Goldenrod gets its name because it looks like a slim, green rod with a
mass of gold at its tip. Its golden flowers bloom from late summer
through autumn. They look like piles of gold along the sides of roads
and in meadows.
