Dysphania ambrosioides is an annual or short-lived perennial herb, growing to 1.2 m (4 ft) tall, irregularly branched, with oblong-lanceolate leaves up to 12 cm (4+1⁄2 in) long.

In pure form, ascaridole decomposes violently upon heating, but this is relatively weak in regards to energy release, since breaking the oxygen bond will not destroy the entire molecule.

Placement and rank of this taxon have ranged from a mere section within Chenopodium to the sole genus of a separate family, Dysphaniaceae, or a representative of the Illicebraceae.

Symptoms include severe gastroenteritis with pain, vomiting, and diarrhea.,[11] dizziness, headache, temporary deafness, kidney and liver damage, convulsions, paralysis, death.

[12] Ideally collected before going to seed, D. ambrosioides is used as a leaf vegetable, herb, and herbal tea[13] for its pungent flavor.

Although it is traditionally used with black beans for flavor and its antiflatulent properties,[13] it is also sometimes used to flavor other traditional Mexican dishes: it can be used to season quesadillas and sopes (especially those containing huitlacoche), soups, mole de olla, tamales with cheese and chili peppers, chilaquiles, eggs and potatoes, esquites, and enchiladas.