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Palmer Amaranth

Amaranthus palmeri S. Wats.

Amaranthaceae (Pigweed Family)

▲ ▼ seedlings/young plants

▲ ▼ young plants

▲ ▼ young plants

▲ ▼ young plants

▲ young, maturing plant

▲ ▼ mature plants

▲ ▼ mature plants

▲ ▼ mature plants

▲ ▼ mature plants

▲ ▼ flower spikes of mature plant

▲ ▼ closer view of flowering spikes

Amaranthus palmeri S. Wats.; Palmer Amaranth: (Bayer Code:  AMAPA; US Code AMPA)

·         Warm-season, aggressive annual weed, with upright pyramidal growth habit

·         Similar to redroot pigweed in appearance, except:

      o   Leaves have longer petioles and may also have silvery “V” marking (not always)

      o   Stems are not rough-textured or hairy

      o   Has longer terminal inflorescences without spiny bracts sticking out

      o   Inflorescences may be male or female

·         Male inflorescences often thicker looking than female plant flowers

·         Common in cultivated crops, roadsides, non-crop  land

·         Can readily hybridize with other pigweeds, resulting in weeds with varying pigweed/amaranth characteristics

·         Can develop colonies of herbicide-resistant plants fairly easily where repeated use of one or similar herbicides is practiced—is considered one of the new "superweeds"

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Updated 15 January 2019