Weeds - Part 2: Ragweed

Some thoughts on weeds at Common Ground Community Garden, Greenwood Lake

Sona Mason - September 2023

Another weed coming up fast this time of year is Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisifolia).

The species name - "artemisifolia" literally translating to "leaves like those of Artemis (vulgaris)", or as we now know - mugwort. It kind of looks like and also not quite like it. Ragweed leaves are lacier and more uniform, as if cut through with a stencil many times. The plant also tends to have more of a horizontal branching architecture than does mugwort, and is not as tall. If you're not sure you have the right plant, use plant ID apps like "Seek" or "Picture This" to help you.

The two weeds are similar in that they flower around the end of summer, are both wind-pollinated and two of the most notorious allergy-causing summer weeds, and for which goldenrod gets the blame. But that's another story. Wind-pollinated flowers are generally small and nondescript, since the plant doesn't need to attract insects to carry its pollen over to another flower. And ragweed is getting ready, and getting big. With all of the weeding in full swing now at the garden, we certainly don't want hundreds more little ragweeds coming up next year, so pull, pull, pull!