Ragweed is an North American native annual notorious for the fact that its pollen causes hay fever. It is a bird seed alien in the British Isles and as if to prove that fact as I went closer to inspect the plant, the ducks on the canal gathered to be fed. Nearby was also growing Setaria pumila (Yellow Bristle-grass) and Echinochloa crus-galli (Cockspur) which are also spread by casual throwing of bird seed.

In Europe A. artemisiifolia has become quite common as a weed in in fields of sunflower crops for instance. In the British Isles most of the casual sites are in the south of England with records thinning northwards. It is not common in Wales and even less common in Scotland. It is only rarely seen in Ireland.

Ambrosia artemisiifolia Ragweed by Bridgewater canal at Lymm car park, 17th November 2010 Previous   Next	Ambrosia artemisiifolia Ragweed by Bridgewater canal at Lymm car park, 17th November 2010 Previous   Next
Ambrosia artemisiifolia Ragweed flower	Ambrosia artemisiifolia Ragweed leaf

By Bridgewater canal at Lymm car park, 17th November 2010

Added on September 17th 2010, updated 19th Feb 2015, updated 7th August 2018