# common ragweed (*Ambrosia artemisiifolia*) Common ragweed is a tall plant with green, jagged leaves and tiny green flowers. It grows in many places and is known for its ability to spread quickly in gardens and fields. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 11 - **Habitat:** Urban areas ![common ragweed](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Ambrosia_artemisiifolia_1.JPG&width=800) Photo: Dalgial, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ambrosia_artemisiifolia_1.JPG) ## Appearance The common ragweed has fern-like, deeply lobed leaves that are hairy and grey-green, often lighter underneath. Its inconspicuous greenish-yellow flowers grow in slender spikes at the top of the plant and branch tips. This makes it look less showy than many other plants blooming in late summer. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Asterales - **Family:** Asteraceae - **Genus:** Ambrosia ## Interesting facts - A single ragweed plant can produce over a billion pollen grains in one season! - Despite its commonness, the name 'Ambrosia' comes from Greek myths meaning 'food of the gods'! - Its super tough seeds can wait in the soil for over 80 years before finally sprouting! - Ragweed pollen is one of the leading causes of hay fever, making many people sneeze in autumn! ## Special abilities - **Pollen Powerhouse:** Common ragweed produces billions of tiny, lightweight pollen grains that can travel for miles, helping it spread far and wide. - **Seed Vault:** Its seeds are incredibly tough, capable of staying dormant and viable in the soil for decades, ready to sprout when conditions are right. - **Disturbance Dynamo:** This plant quickly colonizes disturbed soil, such as construction sites or fields, making it a master of taking over bare ground. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-250 cm - **Spread:** 30-100 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.2-0.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer-fall - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Annual - **Pollination Method:** Wind ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Ragweed Leaf Beetle (*Zygogramma suturalis*) — Adults and larvae feed on ragweed leaves. - **Eaten by:** Ragweed Borer (*Papaipema nebris*) — Larvae bore into and feed on the stems of ragweed plants. - **Eats:** [American Goldfinch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-goldfinch) (*Carduelis tristis*) — These birds often feed on the seeds of common ragweed. ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. - [Invasive](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/invasive): Invasive species are non-native organisms that cause harm to the environment, economy, or human health. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low If you see ragweed, don't touch it too much because it can make some people sneeze. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify common ragweed? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is common ragweed? 10-250 cm ### How wide does common ragweed spread? 30-100 cm ### How big are the flowers on common ragweed? 0.2-0.5 cm ### When does common ragweed bloom? Summer-fall ### Is common ragweed edible? No ### Is common ragweed toxic? None ### What is common ragweed's lifecycle? Annual ## Where to spot - [Albany Pine Bush](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/albany-pine-bush) — New York, US · Nature Reserve - [Catskill Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/catskill-park) — New York, US · Nature Reserve - [Davisville Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/davisville-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District - [East Greenwich Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/east-greenwich-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District - [Fairlie-Poplar](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fairlie-poplar) — Georgia, US · Neighborhood - [Forge Road Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/forge-road-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District [View all places to see common ragweed](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/common-ragweed) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Common Ragweed: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-ragweed)