A close look at giant ragweed’s flowers

Whether you’re examining a giant ragweed plant that’s candelabra-like or scraggly, you still want to take a close look at its flowers, which are oriented downward. Aided by gravity, each of the little floral “bells” will ripen and ring out a cloud of pollen. The column of flowers shown here was a couple of inches long.

For more information about Ambrosia trifida, including a clickable map showing the great many places in North America where the plant grows, you can visit the USDA website.

© 2011 Steven Schwartzman