AAAA-choo! National Ragweed Day
It is National Ragweed Day, the pastor announced from the pulpit. And my nose immediately started to itch. August 15 is the official start of ragweed season, which will last until November and make lots of people really miserable. It is such a pollen machine -- each plant might produce up to a billion grains of pollen in a season -- that it is credited as the main culprit behind hay fever. Ironically, ragweed is a member of the genus ambrosia, a word that also refers to the nectar of the gods. There are more than 40 species of ragweed and it appears as an annual, a perennial and a shrub. It likes dry sunny spots and likes vacant lots, abandoned fields and roadsides.
Photo courtesy of Illinois Wildflowers
Don't confuse ragweed with goldenrod, which happens to bloom at about the same time. It is often mistakenly blamed for allergies, but its pollen is heavy and sticky and cannot become airborne. If you'd like to read more about goldenrod, checkout Kathy Jentz's Washington Gardener blog post tribute to the showy, easy-to-grow plant.
Photo courtesy of Ontario Wildflower
Comments
Interesting article, the photos really show the difference in the plants.
Posted by: John the Orchid Man | August 16, 2010 12:16 PM
If you want to control or completely eliminate your hay fever allergies raise your circulating vitamin D level to a range of 50-80 ng/ml, and keep it there year round.
Vitamin D is a steroid hormone, the body's most potent one at that. It is the stuff that we were suppose to have in healthy, natural amounts.
It absolutely works no matter what your doctor doesn't know.
GV readers. I can not vouch for this advice. -- Susan
Posted by: Blauman | August 16, 2010 9:25 PM