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Smith, R.W.

Chenopodium album

Chenopodium album L.

Lambsquarters

Chenopodiaceae (Goosefoot Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: CHAL7

USDA Native Status: L48 (N,I), AK (I), HI (I), CAN (N,I), GL (I), SPM (I)

This species includes varieties that are not native to North America, e.g. Chenopodium album var. album, Lambsquarters.

On a branching plant, often with red-streaked stems, grow clustered spikes of minute, unstalked flowers.

Many of the introduced members of this family are weeds with non-showy flowers that invade lawns and gardens. Many more species of this genus are found North America, among them Mexican Tea (C. ambrosioides), an aromatic plant that has oblong or lanceolate leaves with wavy-toothed margins; and Jerusalem-oak (C. botrys), also aromatic but with has oak-like leaves.

From the Image Gallery

2 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual
Habit: Herb
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Size Notes: Stems erect to sprawling, up to about 10 feet long.
Fruit: Utricle.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Green , Brown
Bloom Time: Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , AZ , CA , CO , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , IA , ID , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , MS , MT , NC , ND , NE , NH , NJ , NM , NV , NY , OH , OK , OR , PA , RI , SC , SD , TN , TX , UT , VA , VT , WA , WI , WV , WY
Canada: AB , BC , MB , NB , NL , NS , NT , ON , PE , QC , SK , YT
Native Distribution: Throughout North America, except Arctic islands.
Native Habitat: Cultivated land, disturbed sites, and roadsides.

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade , Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry

Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA)

Western Pygmy-Blue
(Brephidium exilis)

Larval Host

Learn more at BAMONA

Common Sootywing
(Pholisora catullus)

Larval Host

Learn more at BAMONA

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:	FACU	FACU	FACU		FACU	FACU	UPL	FACU	FACU	FACU

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Brackenridge Field Laboratory - Austin, TX
Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR

Bibliography

Bibref 1186 - Field Guide to Moths of Eastern North America (2005) Covell, C.V., Jr.
Bibref 1185 - Field Guide to Western Butterflies (Peterson Field Guides) (1999) Opler, P.A. and A.B. Wright

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.

Additional resources

USDA: Find Chenopodium album in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Chenopodium album in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Chenopodium album

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-03-20
Research By: TWC Staff

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