Ragweed is one of Kingston's more-than-human neighbours. They've lived here for more than 60,000 years. A gap-filler, a soil-holder, a winter larder for birds. For most of that time, their populations were modest. European settlement brought deforestation, agriculture, and urbanization. Their populations exploded. They're on Kingston's Prohibited Plants list because their pollen triggers hay fever in one in four people.
Ragweed kin card
Most people think they know Ragweed, but confuse them with Goldenrod. Ragweed's seeds feed more than two dozen bird species through winter. Their pollen sustains ground-nesting bees. Their pollen is harvested commercially to make the immunotherapy to treat hay fever.
📥 Download Ragweed Kin Card (PDF, 99KB)
Ragweed at the planning table
Ragweed's abundance is a diagnosis of disturbance. What if blooming boulevards became the default landscaping choice, leaving no room for Ragweed?
Use left/right arrows to navigate the slideshow or swipe left/right if using a mobile device
