Ragweed is a summer annual weed that typically grows 1 to 3 feet tall, but can sometimes reach up to 6 feet. It has distinctive deeply lobed leaves that resemble fern fronds, giving it a ragged or fern-like appearance. The plant has a hairy, grayish-green stem that can appear slightly reddish and rough in texture. Ragweed's flowers are small, greenish-yellow, and inconspicuous, arranged in spike-like clusters at the tops of the stems. The plant produces large amounts of pollen, which causes allergies and hay fever in many people. There are two common types of ragweed:
- Common Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia): Has hairy, distinctly lobed fern-like leaves and green flowers at the ends of its branches. It usually reaches up to 6 feet tall.
- Giant Ragweed (Ambrosia trifida): Can grow up to 12 feet tall, with rough stems and large leaves that have deep lobes.
Ragweed often grows in disturbed areas such as roadsides, vacant lots, and poor soil conditions. The ragged leaves are a key identifying feature, often described as having a "carrot-like" or "fern-like" jagged shape, and the flowers are small and not showy. This plant is well known as a major cause of seasonal allergies due to its airborne pollen released in late summer to early fall. In summary, ragweed looks like a hairy, rough-stemmed plant with ragged, deeply lobed leaves resembling fern fronds, small greenish-yellow flowers arranged in spikes, and can grow from 1 to 12 feet tall depending on the species. If you want visual identification, ragweed leaves look "fern-like" and are deeply cut, and the flowers are small and clustered in spikes at the top of the plant. This plant is often mistaken for goldenrod, but goldenrod has bright yellow flowers and smooth leaves, not ragged ones. Let me know if you want photos or more details on distinguishing ragweed from similar plants.
