Ragweed is a very high potential risk factor for allergy sufferers, as it produces very large amounts of pollen.
The most common ragweed is undoubtedly ambrosia artemisiifolia. Plants of this genus are weeds that grow mainly in dry, sunny soil.
Ragweed colonises on both fertile and stony or even paved soils; its optimal environment is waste land, such as riverbanks and roadsides.
«Allergies can cause asthma and affect life quality»
Symptoms in allergy sufferers generally include eye irritation and breathing difficulties (nasal and ocular itching, nasal dripping and tearing and sneezing, which, in severe cases, can even lead to actual coughing or asthma attacks).
Mowing is the easiest and more effective method.
It must be carried out before flowering; late intervention on flowering plants is not advisable because it would favour greater dispersal of pollen.
Other methods include uprooting (in the case of a few plants) and mulching (covering the soil with plastic sheets, mowing waste or shredded bark).
Flowering and/or allergen exposure period: flowering starts in July and ends at the end of October, with peaks of pollen exposure between the end of August and mid-November.
Ragweed pollen allergy sufferers have allergic reactions to certain foods.
Cross-reaction occurs because many foods contain molecules that are similar to those found in ragweed pollen, which are recognised by the immune system also when ingested, thus triggering the reaction.
Ragweed has cross-reactivity with banana, water melon, melon, camomile, pumpkin and celery.
If you have any of the symptoms listed in this sheet, we suggest you to consult a specialist doctor.
