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of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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    Ragweed Form

    Form

    Ragweed Leaf

    Leaf

    Ragweed Flowers

    Flowers

    Ragweed Stem

    Stem

    Common Ragweed

    Scientific Name: Ambrosia artemisiifolia
    Height: 1 to 5 feet
    Stems: green, hairy
    Leaves: divided into narrow segments, each irregularly lobed
    Flowers: 2 to 4 inch long terminal spikes of green to yellow flowers

    Interesting Notes

    • There are 17 species of ragweed in North America
    • Ambrosia is the generic name of ragweed and in the Latin means "food of the gods"
    • Ragweed grows the best in sunny, newly-disturbed soils, free from competition with other weeds and grasses. It is often found along roadsides, vacant lots, river banks, and abandoned fields
    • Ragweed starts blooming in Pennsylvania in mid-August as the days become shorter and the nights longer. Pollen production ends mid-September as temperatures start dropping below 60 °F
    • It is estimated that one ragweed plant can produce up to 1 billion pollen grains