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Most Excellent Weed Gallery

Weedy Daisies - Ragweed Genus

     

Asteraceae (Compositae) - Sunflower family
Common Ragweed Ambrosia artemisiifolia
Plant shown about 12" tall but can reach 6 feet tall. "Flower" cluster about 2" long. Pollen is a source for allergens. Seeds are eaten by many birds.
Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, May 2004
(Native of Texas - Taylor, Brown, Coke)

Similar Species

Weakleaf Bur Ragweed (Slender Ragweed) Ambrosia confertiflora
Flowers on the spike are widespread, cone or sphere shaped. Lower leaves are like Common Ragweed, upper are linearly cut, hairy.
(Native of Texas - Taylor, etc.)

              

Asteraceae (Compositae) - Sunflower family
Cuman Ragweed (Western Ragweed) Ambrosia psilostachya
Plant can reach 3 feet tall. "Flower" cluster about 2" long. Pollen is a source for allergens. Seeds are eaten by many birds.
Photos taken in Coleman County, Texas, September 2005
(Native of Texas - Taylor, etc.)

        

Asteraceae (Compositae) - Sunflower family
Lanceleaf Ragweed Ambrosia bidentata
Flowers on flowering head are compact and evenly spaced (looks like plantain) with tiny leaves bigger than the flowers. Leaves have three lobes with the central one much longer. Stems very hairy.
Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, September 2007
(Native of Texas - Coleman)

                                

Asteraceae (Compositae) - Sunflower family
Texas Giant Ragweed Ambrosia trifida var. texana
A single cane with fine ribbing, many leaf nodes, short stiff hairs, and side grooves (bamboo-like). Plant can reach well over 12 feet tall and nearly 2" at the base (needs damp soil). Leaves grow opposite on the stem with one large leaf and one small leaf. The large ones are 8"-10" long and almost that wide, trilobeular, palmer. The lobes are nearly equal in size, have narrow pointed apex, and reach to about 3/4" of the petiole (leaf stem). Petiole is not winged. Linear leaves near flowers are not lobed. Leaves are like sandpaper. Flower stem is very similar to other ragweeds. Flowering from the base, it is made up of tiny green cups filled with multiple yellow "balls" inside. Most of the flowers are male and the pollen is a major allergen source. Small female flowers are clustered under the highest leaves. Seeds are eaten by many birds. A mash from the leaves stops bleeding.
Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, September 2007, August 2008
(Native of Texas)

Similar Species

Giant Ragweed (Great Ragweed) Ambrosia trifida
Same as above but has winged petiole (leaf stem). Plants with all the leaves un-lobed are sometimes listed as var. integrifolia
(Native of Texas - Taylor, Coleman, Brown, Coke)