Chenopodium Species, Lambsquarters, Common Pigweed, Fat Hen, White Goosefoot, Wild Spinach
Chenopodium album
Family: | Amaranthaceae |
Genus: | Chenopodium (ken-oh-POH-dee-um) (Info) |
Species: | album (AL-bum) (Info) |
Synonym: | Chenopodium album var. album |
Category:
Annuals
Herbs
Water Requirements:
Sun Exposure:
Full Sun
Foliage:
Grown for foliage
Foliage Color:
Height:
24-36 in. (60-90 cm)
36-48 in. (90-120 cm)
Spacing:
18-24 in. (45-60 cm)
Hardiness:
Not Applicable
Where to Grow:
Danger:
Parts of plant are poisonous if ingested
Bloom Color:
Chartreuse (yellow-green)
Inconspicuous/none
Bloom Characteristics:
This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds
Bloom Size:
Bloom Time:
Mid Summer
Late Summer/Early Fall
Other details:
May be a noxious weed or invasive
Soil pH requirements:
5.1 to 5.5 (strongly acidic)
5.6 to 6.0 (acidic)
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline)
7.9 to 8.5 (alkaline)
8.6 to 9.0 (strongly alkaline)
Patent Information:
Propagation Methods:
From seed; direct sow outdoors in fall
From seed; direct sow after last frost
Self-sows freely; deadhead if you do not want volunteer seedlings next season
Seed Collecting:
Allow seedheads to dry on plants; remove and collect seeds
Regional
This plant is said to grow outdoors in the following regions:
Hazel Green, Alabama
Flagstaff, Arizona
Clovis, California
Aurora, Colorado(2 reports)
Parker, Colorado
Clayton, Georgia
Glen Ellyn, Illinois
Wauconda, Illinois
Benton, Kentucky
Slaughter, Louisiana
Brookeville, Maryland
Cumberland, Maryland
Linthicum Heights, Maryland
Detroit, Michigan
Isle, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Saint Cloud, Minnesota
Belton, Missouri
Cole Camp, Missouri
Rogersville, Missouri
Deposit, New York
Fairport, New York
Ithaca, New York
Southold, New York
Willsboro, New York
Henderson, North Carolina
Wake Forest, North Carolina
Wilsons Mills, North Carolina
Columbus, Ohio
Vinton, Ohio
Boise City, Oklahoma
Tecumseh, Oklahoma
Downingtown, Pennsylvania
Millersburg, Pennsylvania
Clarksville, Tennessee
Austin, Texas
Eagle Mountain, Utah
Glendale, Utah
Lehi, Utah
Falls Church, Virginia
Bremerton, Washington
Mercer Island, Washington
Spokane, Washington
show allGardeners' Notes:
Rating | Content |
---|---|
Negative | On Aug 10, 2015, Rickwebb from Downingtown, PA wrote: I normally pull this very common weed of gardens and farms out of the ground. Once pulled out it is dead and gone, or else I hoe it away when it is small. I do sometimes eat the young upper growth as I pull them, tasting like its relative of Spinach. This European plant spreads by its abundant little seeds. |
Positive | On Oct 6, 2014, Chillybean from (Zone 5a) wrote: I will not often give an invasive, non-native plant a positive rating. Yet, I will continue pulling this when I find strays in the wrong spots. |
Neutral | On Aug 1, 2014, PamHou from Houston, TX wrote: This plant is not naturally poisonous. However, it absorbs and transmits heavy metals, nitrates, etc. readily, and if they are in your soil and you eat this plant, they will be in you, too. |
Positive | On Jul 22, 2013, Michaelp from Piney Flats, TN (Zone 7a) wrote: I find this plant quite tasty, and enjoy it a lot mixed with other {weeds] plants growing in my garden, like wild amaranth, and wild radish, as well as the plants I plant on purpose. They make a wonderful meal raw or cooked.My Rabbits grow well and are healthy raised on these "weeds" as a part of their diet. Lambs-quarters is very high in protein, and oxalic acid, [like spinach]--so-- moderation is the key. I love it- |
Neutral | On May 12, 2012, Sonnenblume from Aurora, CO (Zone 5b) wrote: I had read before how nutritious it was supposed to be so I ate probably quite a bit last year while letting it grow for a while but I felt ill in my stomach repeatedly directly related to eating this particular edible weed (dandelion and purslane I do not get any negative reactions from) so I am very cautious eating more than a few small leaves... I have to admit it tastes pleasant to neutral when small and fresh but not as good as spinach to me, while now I am pulling lamb's quarters again, its one of the common weeds in my garden popping up in unwanted places but its not annoying just present I am just cautioned by an ill feeling in my gut if I eat too much Lamb's Quarters, I would be curious as to which ingredient causes this as I am not allergic to spinach..it has to be something else... read more |
Positive | On May 1, 2012, CrispyCritter from Clayton, GA wrote: A tasty vegetable that plants itself, comes back every year. How is this a problem??? |
Negative | On Jan 23, 2012, pirl from (Arlene) Southold, NY (Zone 7a) wrote: It's a very invasive, miserable weed for us and we're always on the alert to remove it upon sight or it spreads very fast. |
Positive | On Jun 27, 2011, btoadflax from Wheaton, IL wrote: A first class edible green raw, steamed for a minute, or sautéed in a simple water and flour recipe with optional spices. If you like spinach, especially as a pot herb, you may eat it faster than any weed. Ranks with purslane as plant most likely to be better than what you break your back trying to grow. |
Neutral | On Apr 27, 2011, Erutuon from Minneapolis, MN wrote: This grows as a weed in our front yard. The leaves taste like spinach when young, but later they get tough. |
Positive | On Aug 21, 2010, 1stmeridian wrote: The leaves of lamb's quarter are edible, delicious and more nutritious than spinach actually. It is the seeds that are toxic/poisonous. it is not much different than spinach and in fact was introduced to the US as a leafy vegetable. |
Neutral | On Apr 26, 2010, otter47 from Livermore, CA wrote: When I was a student at Ohio State University, we had community gardens. In early April, we would be out planting our first seeds, pulling weeds, and hauling water. The plot next to mine lay unattended during the spring. By June it was a thicket of weeds, primarily lamb's quarters, which by then were 4 feet tall. Finally those of us who had so carefully nurtured and cultivated our plots were able to harvest the first peas, spinach, and radishes. One day, the woman student appeared with a hoe and took out some of her lamb's quarters, which nature had planted and watered for her. We called her the Lamb's Quarter Lady - so much harvest for so little effort. She told us how delicious they were as greens. Every couple of weeks afterward, she returned to her plot for a new harvest. |
Negative | On Jul 6, 2009, skiekitty from Parker, CO (Zone 5b) wrote: This thing takes over my yard every year.. I'm not a big veggie eater (sorry, more carnivorous than herbavorus) so I'm not going to be eating them. Death to them all! (on a different note, to the person who stated that it's poisonous to cattle,sheep,horses, etc - so isn't avocados & chocolate. Doesn't mean I'm gonna stop eating those!) |
Positive | On Jun 18, 2008, Sherlock_Holmes from Rife, PA (Zone 6a) wrote: Many people find this edible wild plant to be an annoying weed. But that's to be expected from people who are not interested in edible wild plants. For those that prefer to grow wildflowers and edible wild plants, it’s very welcome in the garden. |
Neutral | On Jun 22, 2007, VEGGIEHAPPY from New Braunfels, TX (Zone 8b) wrote: Positive |
Positive | On Feb 23, 2007, IndoorGardner from Falls Church, VA (Zone 7a) wrote: II just found out that this is what was growing between one of my other plants indoors. My friend gave me seeds from the dollar store. I was surprised when they germinated. Now I have this 3 foot little "herb weed". I potted her separately so she would not bother the other plants. She is raised organically so I gave her leaves a try. Yep .. they are good. I was a little nervous at first but after that I kept popping them. Poor thing, it was a happy growing plant now I am looking at like food. It probably wants to run now :) And in case you are wondering, yes like my profile says I grow everything indoors. She is indoors. Matter of fact in my office window. She is healthy and very happy. At least until I finish eating her up. |
Neutral | On May 4, 2006, Mitternacht from Chester, Poisonous? Yeah, right... |
Neutral | On Mar 4, 2006, sallyg from Anne Arundel,, MD (Zone 7b) wrote: Supporting 'woolylam,' I first read about this in a book on wild edibles. I find it just as tasty and tender for cooking as spinach, and it plants itself. I take a few cuttings until it starts to shoot up. More than about knee high it does get very hard to pull out, and by end of summer can be 5 feet and produce lots of seed. |
Negative | On May 3, 2005, CaptMicha from Brookeville, MD (Zone 7a) wrote: This is the worst weed in my gardens, other than grass. I would never plant this intentionally, recommend anyone planting it or have anything to do with it. |
Neutral | On Mar 8, 2005, saya from Heerlen, A very common weed of horticulture. Native to Europe. ..sorry. |
Negative | On Jan 1, 2005, melody from Benton, KY (Zone 7a) wrote: Way more of these plants show up in my garden than I can get rid of. They seem to produce a vast amount of viable seed that can lay dormant for extended periods of time. |
Negative | On Nov 14, 2004, lmelling from Ithaca, NY (Zone 5b) wrote: Same here (invasive). I pick more of these little guys out of my front cutting garden every spring and summer than I can count. Wish I had a nickel for each one! |
Negative | On Oct 9, 2004, jcangemi from Atascadero, CA (Zone 8a) wrote: It's an invasive weed here. . wish I had a nickel for all the ones I've irradicated through the years. . . |
Neutral | On Nov 16, 2003, pixy242 from oshawa, While I don't recommend anyone consuming anything if they have a doubt about it, the Cornell Univ warnings re: poisonous effects of certain plants have to be taken in the context of modern agricultural practices. |
Negative | On Nov 15, 2003, nowheat from Midland, TX (Zone 7a) wrote: This plant is listed in the Cornell Poisonous Plants Collection as poisonous to "cattle, horses, humans, sheep, swine" so you might want to stop eating it. |
Neutral | On Dec 28, 2002, woolylam from Decorah, IA (Zone 4a) wrote: Originally my comment would have been negative, but after finding this weed was edible I have enjoyed pulling it and popping it in my mouth. It still is everywhere in my garden, but I have learned that it thrives way better than some other greens and has no bitter taste (when young). If you can't beat them, join them. :) |
Negative | On Aug 11, 2002, talinum from Kearney, NE (Zone 5a) wrote: This is another agressive plant in the midwest. It can be used as a pot-herb when the leaves are young. It is said it is a good spinach substitute or can be used in salads. It has a long tap root and is difficult to pull out. |