That sneezing spike? Ragweed is blooming everywhere right now
iNaturalist Community
Invasive Species
If your allergies flare every August, the weedy plant crowding your sidewalk cracks and vacant lots right now is very likely the culprit, and spotting it early can help you time antihistamines or plan removal before it seeds.
Common ragweed is a weedy plant that most people walk past without noticing, but it's the main reason so many people start sneezing in late summer. Right now, people using nature apps across the country are logging it in huge numbers, which lines up with the plant hitting peak bloom and releasing pollen. One plant can produce a billion pollen grains, so even a few patches nearby can affect an entire neighborhood.
Key Findings
1,592 research-grade observations of common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) were logged in a single week, ranking it among the most-observed plant species on iNaturalist
The surge coincides with the plant's peak flowering and pollen-release period in late July
Common ragweed is a widespread invasive annual weed found in disturbed soil, roadsides, and vacant lots, and is a leading cause of seasonal allergic rhinitis in North America
chevron_right Technical Summary
Common ragweed, the plant behind most late-summer hay fever, is showing up in huge numbers on nature-tracking apps right now, with over 1,590 verified sightings logged in a single week as its pollen season ramps up.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Trending: common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) — 1592 observations this week
common ragweed is among the most observed plant species this week with 1592 research-grade observations.
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
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Ambrosia artemisiifolia, with the common names common ragweed, annual ragweed, and low ragweed, is a species of the genus Ambrosia native to regions of the Americas.