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Common Lambsquarters

Chenopodium album L.

Chenopodiaceae (Goosefoot Family)

▲▼ seedlings, young plants

young plant

▲▼ characteristic whitish coating on new leaves

striped stems

▲▼ mature plants

▲▼mature plants

Lambsquarters:

o        summer annual with medium to  pale green and red-striped stems, often much branched, growing 1-6’ tall

o        leaves shaped like a goose foot, often with whitish powdery coating near stem tips

o        is a major agronomic crop weed, plus found in vegetable gardens and non-crop areas

o        prefers fertile, cultivated soils—good  indicator of good soil for growing

o        leaves are edible when young

o        similar to velvetleaf in crop damage potential

o        there are a number of close, similar-appearing, yet different species of “lambsquarters” or “goosefoot” that might be found in various areas of the midwest, and where lambsquarters-like weeds appear to be a serious crop problem, exact identification should be determined to be sure control methods will be most effective

o        similar species include:  pitseed goosefoot, slimleaf goosefoot, desert goosefoot, nettleleaf goosefoot, common orach

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