Ambrosia acanthicarpa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ambrosia acanthicarpa |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Ambrosia
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| Species: |
acanthicarpa
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Ambrosia acanthicarpa is a type of plant found in North America. It is an annual plant, which means it lives for only one growing season. This plant is known for being bristly and belongs to the sunflower family.
You might know plants from the genus Ambrosia by their common name: ragweed. Ambrosia acanthicarpa has several common names, including flatspine bur ragweed, Hooker's bur-ragweed, annual burrweed, annual bur-sage, and western sand-bur.
About Flatspine Bur Ragweed
This plant is very common across much of the western United States. You can also find it in the Prairie Provinces of Canada. It is a tough plant that can grow in many different places.
What Does It Look Like?
This spiny, weedy plant often grows in clumps. It has many straight stems that can grow quite tall, sometimes over a meter (about 3 feet). Its stems are a gray-green color and are covered in stiff, bristly hairs.
The plant has a few rough leaves, each several centimeters long. It produces many flowers that grow in clusters called racemes. Each flower head is small, only a few millimeters wide, and also hairy.
The plant has two types of flower heads. The female flower heads (called pistillate heads) are spiny and look like burrs. They have pointed, twisting parts called bracts. The male flower heads (called staminate heads) are rounded.
Where Does It Grow?
Ambrosia acanthicarpa is very adaptable. This means it can grow well in many different environments. It especially likes "disturbed areas." These are places where the ground has been moved or changed, like roadsides, empty lots, or fields. Because it grows so easily, it can quickly become a weed. A weed is a plant that grows where it is not wanted, often taking over from other plants.
