Outdoor Elements
Unassuming (but beneficial) Ragweed
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In this webisode, Evie takes a closer look at <em>ragweed</em>, a plant that’s often blamed for seasonal allergies but plays an important role in our ecosystem. Learn how this misunderstood weed supports pollinators and birds, even while causing a few sniffles for us humans. Get ready to see this pesky plant in a whole new light!
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Outdoor Elements is a local public television program presented by PBS Michiana
Outdoor Elements
Unassuming (but beneficial) Ragweed
Clip | 3m 48sVideo has Closed Captions
In this webisode, Evie takes a closer look at <em>ragweed</em>, a plant that’s often blamed for seasonal allergies but plays an important role in our ecosystem. Learn how this misunderstood weed supports pollinators and birds, even while causing a few sniffles for us humans. Get ready to see this pesky plant in a whole new light!
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipWhy am I croucheddown along the side of a trail?
Because there'sa really interesting plant here.
It might be one thatsome of us are familiar with.
If we suffer from hay fever, I'm not sure why we call ithay fever.
Perhaps if you livein an agricultural area where hay is actually grown,this plant is found there.
It's common ragweedand it is the leading culprit when it comes to latesummer allergies.
Here's why.
The flowering stalks will getteeny tiny yellow flowers.
Very, very, very small.
But they producean abundance of pollen.
And the pollen grainsare so small that it's easyfor them to be wind borne.
The pollen from this commonragweed plant might literally get blowna hundred miles to another common ragweed plant, and then the plantsare pollinated, unlike goldenrod,which blooms at the same time, goldenrodpollen has very heavy pollen, and the only way that that pollen can be transferredfrom plant to plant is from the hard workof pollinating insects that carry itas they're drinking the nectar.
We see goldenrodblooming at the same time, but ragweed is the culpritfor our allergies.
So how do we identify it?
Well, it's got fern like leaves.
They're very, very soft.
A little bit of a grayish touchand the stems very hairy.
And then it gets these floweringstalks, which, as I mentioned,will produce teeny tiny flowers, tiny yellow flowers,pollinating insects, especially small ones, are attractedto those little tiny flowers.
And sometimes the pollen fromthose little flowers will clump down on the leafsurface right below.
So if you look closely, you might even seeclumps of that yellow pollen as it's dropped down, especially if we've had rainor dewy conditions.
Then that pollen gets wetand won't be wind borne.
So what good is it?
Well,I mentioned pollinating insects.
It is a great source of nectarand pollen for many insects.
There's a little grub here that's actually chompingdown on the leaf.
So some insects use ragweedas a host plant for their larval stage.
And when the plantgets pollinated or fertilized and these stalksthen produce seeds, they're really high in fatand oil.
That's importantfor many types of birds, especially onesthat overwinter with us.
When it's cold,you need lots of calories, and then these seeds providethat nutrition.
Birds like morningdoves will feed on it.
Even some of our gamebirds like ring neck pheasant or bobwhite quail in areaswhere we still have those birds present.
So even though it is a muchmaligned plant, you can see by all the insects flying around methat pollinating insects benefit it and songbirdsbenefit from it.
So it does have a good rolein our ecosystem.
Remember,you can find your own outdoor elements when you visit areaparks and natural areas.
We'll see you soon.
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