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Redroot Pigweed

Amaranthus retroflexus L.

Amaranthaceae (Pigweed Family)

▲  seedling

▲ ▼ young plants

▲ ▼ mature plants

▲ ▼ flowering plants 

 

▲ ▼ flowering plants 

 

▲ ▼ flowering plants  

▲ ▼ inflorescences

▲ ▼ inflorescences

 

▲ ▼ inflorescences 

 

▲ "reddish" root

Amaranthus retroflexus L.; Redroot Pigweed: (Bayer Code:  AMARE; US Code AMRE)

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

·         Stems & leaves have rough or hairy texture to them

·         Roots and stem bases tend to be pinkish or red

·         Leaves oval with prominent sunken veining

·         Terminal inflorescence is thick with sharp bracts sticking out

·         Common in all cultivated crops, disturbed sites, non-crop land

·         Can accumulate nitrates to toxic levels for grazing cattle

·         Produces up to 117,000 seeds/plant in a growing season

·         Seed can survive 40 years buried in soil

·         Can reduce yield of corn by 25-30% if only 1 plant per foot of row

  

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Updated 15 January 2019