​Common Ragweed, Bitterweed, Annual Ragweed,Ambrosia artemisiifolia,Sunflower Family (Asteraceae)

The Bloom Blog
Blooming this week in the environs of Abiquiú
By Wildflowers of the Southern Rocky Mountains

By Marilyn Phillips

Found in disturbed areas
Seen blooming in September near Hwy 554
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Ragweed pollen is considered the number one cause of hay fever in the late-summer and fall. Each plant can produce over a billion grains of pollen per season which occurs from mid-August until frost. It is also a prolific producer of seeds that provide food for birds and small mammals. Common Ragweed grows from one to three feet tall with deeply cut, softly hairy, fern-like leaves. Flowers are tiny and yellow-green. Male flowers grow above the female flowers on the same spike. Seeds are enclosed in a hard bur. Despite its bad reputation, Native Americans found many medicinal uses for it. Crushed leaves were applied externally to insect bites, rheumatic joints and various skin complaints, internally they are used as a tea in the treatment of fevers, pneumonia, nausea, intestinal cramps, diarrhea and mucous discharges. Juice from the wilted leaves is disinfectant and was applied to infected toes. A tea made from the roots was used in the treatment of menstrual disorders and stroke. The plant was used for toilet paper. Today, the pollen is harvested commercially for use in pharmaceuticals designed to treat hay fever. Source.
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If you are trying to identify a different flower then you can check what other flowers bloom this month. If you cannot identify a flower from the website, send a photo and where you took it to [email protected]. Read online for tips.