Common Ragweed
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
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. Its 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] and Japan, known as butakusa (pig grass).^[2]

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.^[3]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ambrosia artemisiifolia

• Jepson Manual Treatment
• USDA Plants Profile
• GRIN Species Profile

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