Annual ragweed

• Fern-like plant up to 1–2m tall.
• Leaves grow in a rosette at the plant's base during early stages of growth.
• Older leaves are short-stalked, 2–3cm long, opposite at base, alternate at top.
• Leaf blades are fern-like, slightly rough, deeply divided with hairy undersides, 1–16cm long and 1–7cm wide.
• Flowers are small, greenish, to 20cm long on upper part of plant.
• Flower spikes appear yellow when mature because of pollen production.
• Male flowers grow at top of spike and females at base of spike.
• Seeds are black, small, top-shaped and rough.

• Often colonises bare areas on roadsides and banks of watercourses, and can invade pastures from these areas.

• Visit Weeds Australia and click on the distribution tab to access the distribution map.

• Establishes each year, normally germinating from spring to summer.
• Germination can occur at other times of year in suitable conditions.
• Flowering is triggered by decreasing day length and occurs from mid-to late March, after which plants die.
• Late-germinating plants may overwinter before flowering the following autumn.

Economic

• Invades and suppresses weak and overgrazed pastures, reducing productivity.
• Infestations can become particularly dense in overgrazed pastures.

Social

• Pollen contains potent allergens that can aggravate asthma and cause respiratory allergies such as hay fever.

• Seeds spread by floodwater, stock, or in fodder or topsoil from infested areas.

• Find out how farmers can prevent weed spread.
• Find out how gardeners and outdoor enthusiasts can prevent weed spread.

Physical control

• Hand-pull young plants; however, anyone prone to allergies should avoid contact with flowering plants and pollen.
• Minimise infestations by maintaining healthy, dense pastures that suppress annual ragweed germination and growth

Mechanical control

• Slash or mow before plant sets seed.

Herbicide control

• Spray plants when young, before flowering (i.e. before the end of December).
• Herbicides are not selective against legumes and damage to legume species may result.

Read the annual ragweed fact sheet (PDF, 6.5MB) for herbicide control and application rates.

Biological control

• A leaf-eating beetle and a stem-galling moth have been introduced into Queensland and have reduced the size and vigour of annual ragweed.
• However, annual ragweed is still a significant problem and other control methods are necessary.

• Annual ragweed is a category 3 restricted invasive plant under the Biosecurity Act 2014.
• It must not be given away, sold, or released into the environment. Penalties may apply.
• You must take all reasonable and practical measures to minimise the biosecurity risks associated with dealing with annual ragweed under your control. This is called a general biosecurity obligation (GBO).
• At a local level, each local government agency must have a biosecurity plan that covers invasive plants in its area. This plan may include actions to be taken on annual ragweed. Some of these actions may be required under local laws. Contact your local council for more information.