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Western Ragweed
Scientific Name:
Ambrosia psilostachya
Type:
Herbaceous Plant
Habitat:
Distrubed sites, dry rangelands, and hillsides
Range:
North America
Status:
No listed status
This species is
NATIVE
to the Truckee Meadows.
Identification:
Western ragweed has tall leaves that are greenish-gray in color. The leaves are hairy and grow to between 2 and 5 inches in length. Western ragweed seed pods, which sit on top of the plants' long centralized stems, grow to between 2 and 6 inches in length. The seeds resemble a grain husk and become bristly and pointed with age.
Fast Facts:
Western ragweed can reproduce through rhizomes, which means it can “shoot” out new plants from the original plant’s root system. Therefore, they often have long root systems.
This plant is native to North America and is known for its contribution to fall hay fever. The pollen produced by the western ragweed can be very irritating to people.
The stems and leaves of western ragweed have been used by the Kumeyaay people to treat dandruff. The stems and leaves were crushed into a mash.
Sources:
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Western Ragweed, 2021, https://rangeplants.tamu.edu/plant/western-ragweed/
Nature Collective, Western Ragweed, 2021, https://thenaturecollective.org/plant-guide/details/western-ragweed/
Image: Salicyna, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ambrosia_psilostachya_2018-07-22_6908.jpg, license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en, cropped from original.
Contributor(s):
Bridget Mulkerin (research & content)
Alex Shahbazi (edits & page design)