Ragweed

Life is
full of paradoxes, one being the more I learn, the more I realize how much I don’t yet know!  And I have just experienced that in nature, studying my archnemesis, ragweed, which is another paradox. I have dreaded the months of August through the first frost because of ragweed allergies. 

This season I decided to study Goldenrod (which I thought was the culprit). The goldenrod genus couldn’t possibly be the culprit due to its very large, sticky grain of pollen, making it 100% unable to be airborne, but instead is transported by insects. Ragweed, on the other hand, has very small pollen grains, as many as 1,000,000 grains per plant per
season, and is only off wind-disseminated, causing the second highest reason for allergy suffering in North America. It can be found as far as 400 miles off the coast into the oceans and 2 miles high into the atmosphere!   

While studying ragweed, most seen being great ragweed (Ambrosia trifida) and common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia), I discovered ragweed is not what it seems on the surface. Yes, it causes so much misery, but it is really a magnificent plant! Firstly, the seeds, especially that of the great ragweed, are an extremely nutritious food source, an energy powerhouse, with 47% crude protein, and 38% crude fat with 20% of that being oil and linolenic acid, an essential fatty
acid. Ragweed rivals corn, wheat and soybeans in usable calories. It’s believed some Native American tribes cultivated great ragweed, but that the
cultivation fell away due to the introduction and ease of gathering maize. By the way, the oil can be collected by crushing the seed and boiling in water, skimming the fat off the top (very labor intensive I would think).  

But let’s not stop there! This plant is antiseptic, antibacterial to several strains, emetic, emollient, and a
febrifuge, and is a support to the integumentary and respiratory systems. Cherokee, Iroquois, Lakota, and Meskwaki tribes used it topically and internally to relieve nausea, menstrual pain, fever, and some used a tea from the root to make a laxative to treat diarrhea, and as a heart medicine. Infusions were made from the leaves to treat hives. The Delaware healers made a poultice from the leaves, applying it to wounds to treat blood poisoning. Crushed ragweed leaves can be
used on insect bites and poison ivy rashes to soothe the itching and blisters. If the leaves are collected before the plant flowers, a tincture can be
made and used as an antihistamine against the ragweed pollen itself! It can also help with other histamines. Pharmaceuticals use ragweed pollen in natural hay fever treatments.  

The last point I want to make about this herb is its ability to absorb heavy metals from the earth. It is now being used as a cleanup application of sorts in
industrial waste, particularly lead. I love learning about God’s creation…He has such a superb sense of humor! Now searching for the paradox regarding chiggers…..!  

References:  

Ragweed-How Native Americans Used This Pesky Plant, Janet; Aug. 20, 2018 

Davesgarden.com; All about Ragweed; the Good and the Bad, Melody Rose; Aug. 8, 2015 

Lewisgunter.org; This Foe May Be a Friend Too; Jonah Holland, Aug. 11, 2012

Melinda Fodor is a Master Herbalist from middle Tennessee, and a graduate of the School of Natural Healing.