Common Ragweed
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Asterales Family: Asteraceae Genus: Ambrosia Species: A. artemisiifolia
Binomial name
Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.
Synonyms
Ambrosia elatior

Common Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) is the most widespread plant of the genus Ambrosia in North America. It is also known as Annual Ragweed, Bitterweed, Blackweed, Carrot Weed, Hay Fever Weed, Roman Wormwood, Stammerwort, Stickweed, Tassel Weed, Wild Tansy and American Wormwood.

Common Ragweed grows to about one meter in height. It's wind-dispersed pollen is a strong allergen to many people with hay fever.

A North American native, it is invasive in some European countries ^[1].

Mature common ragweed

Common Ragweed emerges in the late spring and sets seed in later summer or fall.

Common ragweed is a very competitive weed and can produce yield losses in soybeans as high as 30%. Control with night tillage reduces emergence by around 45%. Small grains in rotation will also suppress common ragweed if they are overseeded with clover. Otherwise, the ragweed will grow and mature and produce seed in the small grain stubble. Several herbicides are effective against common ragweed, although resistant populations are known to exist.^[2]

References

Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia; from the article "Ambrosia artemisiifolia". Image Credit.

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