Is ragweed the same as goldenrod?

No, they are different plants that often bloom at the same time, but goldenrod pollen is heavy and sticky, not windborne.

How do I get rid of it?

Pulling the plants before they flower is the most effective way to prevent seed spread.

Plant guide

Common ragweed.

Ambrosia artemisiifolia

Pronounced am-BRO-zee-uh ar-te-mis-ee-oh-FO-lee-uh

Also known as Annual Ragweed, Bitterweed, Common Ragweed, Low Ragweed, Ragweed, Roman Wormwood, Roman Wormwood, Ragweed, Hog-weed, Roman-wormwood

Common ragweed is a hardy annual plant often found in disturbed soils and open fields. It is widely recognized for its role as a major allergen due to its windborne pollen. While it is considered a weed in many areas, it plays a role in local ecosystems.

Another photo of Common ragweed — Photo by Josiah Londerée (CC BY) via gbif

At a glance

Care level: Easy
Plant type: Annual herb
Light: Full sun
Indoor light: Direct sun
Water: Every 7 to 14 days
Mature size: 3 to 5 feet
Growth rate: Fast
Hardiness: USDA 2 to 11
Bloom time: Mid summer to late autumn

Care

This plant thrives in full sun and requires very little maintenance to establish itself. Keep an eye out for rapid spread in garden beds, as it can quickly outcompete other plants. It is generally not cultivated as an ornamental plant.

Watering: Water only during extended dry spells to keep the soil slightly moist.
Feeding: Fertilizer is not necessary as this plant is highly adaptable to poor soil conditions.
Pruning: Remove flower spikes before they go to seed to prevent unwanted spread.
Repotting: This plant is an annual and is not typically grown in containers.
Soil: Well draining, disturbed soil
Soil pH: 6.0 to 7.5
Temperature: -20 to 35°C
Humidity: 30 to 70%

Safety

People: The plant can cause contact dermatitis in sensitive individuals due to sesquiterpene lactones.
Children: Keep children away as the plant is a known allergen and may cause skin irritation upon contact.
Contact allergens: Handling the foliage can cause skin irritation or rashes in some people.
Airborne allergens: The windborne pollen is a highly potent allergen that triggers severe hay fever symptoms.
Edibility: This plant is not considered edible and may cause gastrointestinal distress if ingested.

How to identify it

Deeply lobed, fern like leaves
Small greenish yellow flower spikes
Hairy stems and foliage
Grows in branching upright stems

Height: 0.2 to 1.5m
Spread: 0.15 to 0.6m
Leaves: green, deciduous
Flowers: green, yellow, 0.2 to 0.5cm

Problems to watch for

AphidsCommon
Powdery MildewCommon
White RustCommon
RustUncommon

By symptom

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Growing it

Propagation: seed
When to plant: spring

This plant is generally considered a weed and is best managed by removal rather than integration into garden beds.

Grows well with

Common Sunflower · Both species often grow together in disturbed prairie environments.

Similar species

Giant Ragweed · It is a much larger relative with distinct three-lobed leaves.

Science

Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Ambrosia
Order: Asterales
Class: Magnoliopsida
Native range: North America
Conservation: It is considered a widespread invasive weed in many parts of the world outside its native range.

It thrives in disturbed habitats like roadsides and agricultural fields where it outcompetes other vegetation for light.

Value to wildlife: larval host plant, seed source for birds
Pollinators: bees, butterflies
Uses: ecological restoration, wildlife habitat

Through the year

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Flowering

Fruiting

Foliage

Ecological indicators

Salinity: 2/9
Soil reaction: 5/9
Light: 8/9
Temperature: 6/9
Moisture: 4/9
Nutrients: 5/9

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Is ragweed the same as goldenrod?: No, they are different plants that often bloom at the same time, but goldenrod pollen is heavy and sticky, not windborne.
How do I get rid of it?: Pulling the plants before they flower is the most effective way to prevent seed spread.

Where the name comes from

The name Ambrosia comes from the Greek word for food of the gods, though this plant is certainly not edible. The specific epithet artemisiifolia refers to the leaves resembling those of the Artemisia genus.

Good to know

A single plant can produce over a billion pollen grains in one season.
Ragweed seeds are a vital food source for many songbirds during winter.
It is a pioneer species that quickly colonizes disturbed soil.

Keep your common ragweed growing

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This guide was generated with AI on September 26, 2026 and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.