The flower clusters may be branched and spreading, flat-topped, or arranged in a spike along the stem. One, the slender fragrant goldenrod that grows along our Bear Lake prairie, has a sweet smell. However, it's doubtful that many people pause to sniff at a goldenrod, given its reputation for causing allergies. More about that later. Goldenrods bloom profusely in the fall, and they make delightful displays in abandoned meadows and along roadsides.
Goldenrods are also interesting to look at closeup.
Each flower in the head looks like a small sunflower. That should not be surprising, since they belong to the same family, the Compositae. Besides providing pleasing displays of color, goldenrod is an important source of food for many insects. Bees, wasps, butterflies, moths, flies, and beetles visit the flowers for the nectar they produce. Because so many insects visit them, the flowers are also favorite places for predators like crab spiders and ambush bugs.