Ambrosia artemesiifolia
| Ambrosia artemesiifolia | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 3' |
| Blooms: | Late Summer-Mid Fall |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Ambrosia artemesiifolia (common name: roman wormwood)
Propagation: Seed - we have no details for this species but suggest sowing the seed in situ in April.
Cultivation: We have very little information on this species but suggest growing it in a sunny position in a well-drained soil.
It has been suggested for commercial cultivation[1]. Some plants produce mainly sterile heads[2]. The pollen from the flowers of this species is an important cause of hay-fever in N. America[3].
Range: N. America - British Columbia to Nova Scotia and Florida. Locally established casual in Britain[3].
Habitat: Waste places in Western N. America[2]. Found in dry soils, it can become a pernicious weed in cultivated soils[4].
Edibility: An oil is obtained from the seed. It has been suggested for edible purposes because it contains little linolenic acid[1][5]. The seed contains up to 19% oil[1], it has slightly better drying properties than soya bean oil[5].
Medicinal: The leaves are very astringent, emetic and febrifuge[6][7]. They are applied externally to insect bites, rheumatic joints and various skin complaints, internally they are used as a tea in the treatment of fevers, pneumonia, nausea, intestinal cramps, diarrhoea and mucous discharges[6][7].
Juice from the wilted leaves is disinfectant and is applied to infected toes[7].
A tea made from the roots is used in the treatment of menstrual disorders and stroke[6].
The pollen is harvested commercially and manufactured into pharmaceutical preparations for the treatment of allergies to the plant[6].
Pollinators: Wind
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Flower Type: Monoecious
Known Hazards: The pollen of this plant is a major cause of hayfever in N. America[8][6]. Ingesting or touching the plant can cause allergic reactions in some people[6].
Also Known As: A. elatior.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Hitchcock, Leo. Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press, 1955.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Clapham, Arthur and Tom Tootin, Edmund Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press, 1962.
- ↑ Britton, Nathaniel and Addison Brown. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada. Dover Publications, 1970.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 Foster, Steven and Billy Tatum. Medicinal Plants of Eastern and Central North America. Houghton Mifflin, 1990.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Moerman, Daniel. Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press, 1998.
- ↑ Coffey, Timothy. The History and Folklore of North American Wild Flowers. Facts on File, 1993.