Common ragweed or ambrosia artemisifolia is the most well known cause of hay fever and fall allergies. If you are allergic, it is a tough adversary. And knowing how it works and what to do to manage your contact with it is a must. Here are 5 facts that will help you do just that.
What does it look like? Its leaves are oval-shaped, and are often silvery gray green in color. The most common plant grows to about three and a half feet tall. There is also a giant version that can grow as tall as 13 feet or more. Many confuse this plant with Goldenrod which displays with beautiful yellow flowers on stalks.
Ragweed is way less flashy in its appearance. And it is often the case that weeds, flowers, and tress that are less flashy in appearance are the biggest pollen producers and make worst allergens.
Where does it usually grow? Long story short, it can grow literally anywhere. It can be found as a weed in the garden, by the side of roads in rural areas, or in the heart of the city in between sidewalk squares. The fact that the seeds are an important source of food for many birds doing the winter may be of some comfort to allergy sufferers when looking at the big picture.
Will changing where I live help? Unfortunately, there is no place in the United States that is free of this pollen. The grains produced by this weed can travel for miles and can grow with very little encouragement. So moving to another location will at best provide very minimal relief.
How long does the season last? Since it is a summer plant and begins pollination towards mid august, pollination continues through late October or until they are killed by frost, which in some locations can be as late as early November.
How can I stop it from coming indoors? It is impossible to stop it from getting into your indoor air. It hangs on easily to hair, clothes, packages, and pets. And can ride on an air current right into your home or office through open doors or windows.
You can minimize air exchange by keeping windows closed and using air conditioning rather than fans. And even though you can't stop it from coming in, you can filter the pollen grain that do find their way indoors with an air purifier that is specifically designed to remove small airborne particulates such as pollen and provide relief for those who suffer with hay fever.
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