Ambrosia is an invasive species native to North America whose pollen has a strong allergenic power.

“Five grains of pollen per cubic meter of air are enough to cause an allergic reaction in sensitive people”, specifies the regional health agency of Nouvelle-Aquitaine in a press release, this Thursday.

The symptoms vary according to the sensitivity of the people (rhinitis, conjunctivitis, tracheitis, urticaria, eczema and in 50% of the cases, appearance or aggravation of asthma).

In the region, the departments of Deux-Sèvres, Charente, Charente-Maritime, Dordogne and Lot-et-Garonne are the most colonized by this species.

To be uprooted before flowering

The health authorities recommend, if there are only a few plants, to pull them out before flowering (end of July), after putting on gloves.

They can then be composted or taken to recycling centers.

But from July to September, during the flowering period, nothing should be done at the risk of aggravating the situation by spreading the seeds more widely.

It will then be necessary to wait until next spring for the uprooting.

When the plants identified are outside the limits of your property, you must report the infested area on the interactive ragweed reporting platform. 

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