Chicura is a woody shrub to about 1.8 m tall with sparsely-branched, wand-like stems bearing large 18 cm long, broad, dark yellow-green leaves. It flowers in late winter into spring and occasionally at other times. Though it's called a ragweed, the fruit is a bur. Canyon ragweed (Chicura) is a subtropical shrub common throughout Sonora, southwestern Arizona, and the southern half of Baja California. There is also a disjunct population in Durango, Mexico. In the drier parts of its range it occurs mainly in drainages and along roadsides where it receives extra water from runoff. In the northern edge of its range it is restricted to the warmer slopes above valley floors. O'odham used canyon ragweed in sweat baths to relieve arthritic pain. They spread hot coals on flat ground and covered them with a layer of ragweed leaves, then laid the afflicted person atop them and covered him or her with a blanket.It's scientific name is Ambrosia ambrosioides, also known as canyon ragweed or chicura is a ragweed found in the deserts of northern Mexico and ranging into the southern half of Arizona.
Growing as a shrub from 1-2 meters high, its elongate, coarsely-toothed leaves range from 4-18 cm long and 1.5-4 cm wide. It is monoecious, with both terminal and axillary racemes consisting of staminate heads occurring above their pistillate counterparts. Flowering occurs mainly in February through April. The fruits are 10-15 mm burs covered with hooked spines. Chicura's leaves are alternate, simple, evergreen, and elongated triangular to lance-shaped, they are coarse serrate or toothed, green above and below but covered in a pale pubescence, they are drought deciduous.
The flowers are a dull yellow-green, in small clusters borne on a spike, and present in late winter to early spring. It grows even 40" tall. It has yellow-green flowers wich bloom from March to October. You can find it in Sonora, Arizona, Navojoa, California. This plant is made for being in the warm climate. Below 20F causes damage to the plant. Also there are 20 diferent species of chicura in Arizona.
Growing as a shrub from 1-2 meters high, its elongate, coarsely-toothed leaves range from 4-18 cm long and 1.5-4 cm wide. It is monoecious, with both terminal and axillary racemes consisting of staminate heads occurring above their pistillate counterparts. Flowering occurs mainly in February through April. The fruits are 10-15 mm burs covered with hooked spines. Chicura's leaves are alternate, simple, evergreen, and elongated triangular to lance-shaped, they are coarse serrate or toothed, green above and below but covered in a pale pubescence, they are drought deciduous.
The flowers are a dull yellow-green, in small clusters borne on a spike, and present in late winter to early spring. It grows even 40" tall. It has yellow-green flowers wich bloom from March to October. You can find it in Sonora, Arizona, Navojoa, California. This plant is made for being in the warm climate. Below 20F causes damage to the plant. Also there are 20 diferent species of chicura in Arizona.
It has to grow in well darined soil. Supplemental irrigation about every other week in summer keeps plants from looking ratty. In light it has to be most of the time in the light and maybe a little percent in shadows. Like when it's night, Chicura nçgrows better with the sun light.
