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Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

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Ambrosia artemisiifolia (Annual ragweed)
Smith, R.W.

Ambrosia artemisiifolia

Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.

Annual Ragweed, Short Ragweed

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: AMAR2

USDA Native Status: L48 (NI), HI (I), CAN (N)

Coarse, hairy-stemmed annual with inconspicuous flowers in elongated clusters.

This plant, not Goldenrod, is a cause of hay fever, recognized by all who suffer the discomfiting allergy. Pollination is by wind, as indicated by the drabness of the flowers, which do not attract insects. The best control is hand rogueing or permitting perennial plants to crowd this annual out. Since the seeds persist into winter and are numerous and rich in oil, they are relished by songbirds and upland game birds.

 

From the Image Gallery

16 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual
Habit: Herb
Size Notes: Up to about 5 feet tall, often much shorter.
Fruit: Fruit is a cypsela (pl. cypselae). Though technically incorrect, the fruit is often referred to as an achene.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Green , Brown
Bloom Time: Jun , Jul , Aug

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , AZ , CA , CO , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , IA , ID , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , MS , MT , NC , ND , NE , NH , NJ , NM , NV , NY , OH , OK , OR , PA , RI , SC , SD , TN , TX , UT , VA , VT , WA , WI , WV , WY
Canada: AB , BC , MB , NB , NL , NS , NT , ON , PE , QC , SK
Native Distribution: Throughout North America, except far north.
Native Habitat: Grows profusely in open mixed grass prairies and roadsides. Native to the New World, this species has naturalized in Europe, parts of Africa, Asia and elsewhere.

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade , Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry
Conditions Comments: Though a North American native, this species is generally considered a troublesome weed. In gardens ragweed can be contained by hoeing or hand-weeding young plants. An annual, it self-propagates only by seed. Ragweed species unleash copious quantities of allergenic pollen spores with the wind. Those who are prone to hay fever suffer from its effects.

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:AGCPAKAWCBEMPGPHIMWNCNEWMVE
Status: FACU FACU FACU FACU UPL FACU FACU FACU
This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
Natural Biodiversity - Johnstown, PA
Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR

Herbarium Specimen(s)

NPSOT 1115 Collected Oct 12, 1994 in Bexar County by Harry Cliffe
NPSOT 0547 Collected Oct 4, 1987 in Bexar County by Harry Cliffe

2 specimen(s) available in the Digital Herbarium

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Ambrosia artemisiifolia in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Ambrosia artemisiifolia in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Ambrosia artemisiifolia

Metadata

Record Modified: 2022-11-09
Research By: NPC

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