This Plant Is Costing Us Billions. Should We Eradicate It?

The fall allergy season is fast approaching and one of the most prolific allergens in the US & Europe is getting ready to do billions of dollars in damage: Ragweed.

When does Ragweed Season occur?

Ragweed season occurs in the latest part of the summer and early fall months. While tree pollen season is often longer and produces more allergens, Ragweed allergy tends to produce more overall misery for allergy sufferers. This is because ragweed is literally everywhere!

Identifying Ragweed and Avoiding It

Ragweed is one of the most common allergen producing plants in the world. Varieties of it can be found in nearly all 50 US states. Despite over 40 different varieties, it has a very recognizable appearance: A multi-pronged leaf, or a saw-tooth leaf pattern.

Take Steps To Eliminate It.

While dry weather helps prevent the plant from spreading and helps reduce the impact on allergies, excessive drought is not a practical means to rid our environment of this pest.

If you see this plant sprouting up on your property, it is advised that you take measures to cut it down and remove it, or it will only continue to spread.

While spending time and money to remove it from your land is optional, in some countries it’s mandatory. In some European countries, farmers are required by law to remove the plant if they find it growing on their property. This is a result of a growing effort to eradicate the plant that is seen to have no redeeming qualities.

Estimates are that ragweed costs the European Union nearly $5Billion Euros per year in healthcare costs and crop losses. This does not even consider the pain endured by millions of allergy sufferers.

How Can You Protect Yourself From Ragweed?

Ragweed allergy is caused by pollen from the Ragweed plants. Fortunately for allergy sufferers, this pollen is quite large and easy to file out of the air with an air purifier. By watching your local pollen forecasts you can learn when it is safer to go outside. Also, by running an air purifier indoors, you can avoid exposure to the pollen during most of the day and night. This is critical to managing your allergy symptoms, as pollen can easily make its way indoors through the day.