Minnesota Wildflowers


or try: advanced plant search
Share |

Ambrosia artemisiifolia (Common Ragweed)

Plant Info
Also known as: Annual Ragweed
Genus:Ambrosia
Family:Asteraceae (Aster)
Life cycle:annual
Origin:native
Status:
  • Noxious Weed
Habitat:part shade, sun; fields, along roads, waste areas
Bloom season:July - September
Plant height:1 to 3 feet
USDA PLANTS database:Minnesota county distribution map
Spotted in Ramsey County at:

Pick an image for a larger view. Most image enlargements are 50-100KB, though some may be larger. See the glossary for icon descriptions.

Detailed Information

Flower: indistinct spike

[photo of flowers] Flowers are green, tiny and bead-like on cylindrical spikes from 1 to 6 inches long. One plant usually has many branches, with 1 or more spikes at the end of most. 2 or more smaller spikes often surround a longer main spike.

Leaves and stem: alternate lobed

[photo of leaves] Leaves are deeply divided and fern-like, generally egg-shaped in outline, up to 6 inches long and 4 inches wide near the base. Leaves are hairy but may become smooth with age. The lower leaves are oppositely attached, the upper are alternate. The main stem is covered in long, stiff, white hairs and often has a purple tint.

Fruit:

[photo of seed] Flowers spread out as a single seed develops from each, with small yellowish to brown projections on the crown.

Notes:

Ragweed produces the pollen that is the bane of hayfever sufferers everywhere. It can become quite bushy and grow in clumps or colonies.

Where to buy native seed and plants

Help support this site by buying seeds & plants from these vendors. Tell them we sent you!

  • Shooting Star Native Seeds - Native Prairie Grass and Wildflower Seeds
  • Prairie Restorations - Bringing people together with the land
  • Shop for native seeds and plants at PrairieMoon.com!
  • Out Back Nursery and Landscaping - Where Ecology and Horticulture Unite

Map of native plant purveyors in the upper midwest

More photos

Photos taken at Long Lake Regional Park, New Brighton, MN July 2006 and July-August 2007

Comments

Have you seen this plant in Minnesota, or have any other comments about it?

Post a comment

Note: All comments are moderated before posting to keep the riff-raff out. An email address is required, but will not be posted—it will only be used for information exchange between the 2 of us (if needed) and will never be given to a 3rd party without your express permission.

For info on subjects other than plant identification (gardening, invasive species control, edible plants, etc.), please check the links and invasive species pages for additional resources.



(required)




Note: Comments or information about plants outside of Minnesota may not be posted because I’d like to keep the focus of this web site on Minnesota. Thanks for your understanding.