Common Lambsquarters—Chenopodium album
Abundant throughout North America, common lambsquarters is a rapidly growing summer annual that prefers rich soils, but will grow in almost any disturbed soil. Found along roads, in open fields, streambeds, lawns and vegetable gardens.
Plants grow 3 to 4 feet tall. They blossom June to September, each producing thousands of seeds. Stems are green with reddish to purplish streaks. In the fall leaves turn crimson.
Leaves are highly variable from triangular- to diamond-shaped, somewhat toothed to mostly smooth. Light green on top, they have a distinctive white scale on the underside.
Flowers are green and very small, growing in dense clusters at the tips of the main stems and at branch junctions. Flowers change to tiny fruits with even tinier black seeds.
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Identification and Control Information
- Fact Sheet with Description and Control Options (PDF) —Pennsylvania State University, College of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service
- Lamb's Quarters, Description and Interesting Information—Illinois Wildflowers
- The Organic Weed Management Website—Cornell University
More Information
- Facts on Edible Wild Greens of Maine (PDF) —University of Maine Cooperative Extension
- Weeds and Your Garden brochure (PDF) —New York State IPM Program and Cornell Cooperative Extension
- Weed Management in the Home Garden (PDF) —Iowa State University Extension
[Photos, left to right: Richard Old, XID Services, Inc., Bugwood.org; Bonnie Million, National Park Service, Bugwood.org; Joseph M. DiTomaso, University of California - Davis, Bugwood.org]