Green pigweed, Green amaranth
| Botanical Name | Amaranthus hybridus |
| Common Name | Green pigweed, Green amaranth |
| Family | Amaranthaceae - Amaranth |
| Description | This annual is a nondescript, coarse weed of fields, roadsides and pastures. It can be invasive. Leaves are ovate with plain margins. They are sometimes reddish beneath. The stem is erect and sometimes reddish-green. It is a native of tropical America but now grows in almost every state. |
| Mature Size | Under 4’. |
| Bloom | July – September this plant bears clusters of inconspicuous, bristly, green flowers scattered along the stems where the leaves are attached and sometimes at the ends of the stems. A single plant bears tens of thousands of dark, pinhead-size seeds. |
| Interesting Facts | Stems and leaves contain protein, Vitamins A and C, iron and calcium. |
| Traditional and Medicinal Uses | The seeds have been an important source of food dating back at least to early Anasazi times. Seeds were ground into flour for mush and bread. Young green leaves were boiled or fried with onions. It was considered one of the most important wild plant greens available throughout the summer. Traditionally the plant was used to treat a variety of ailments. A tea made from the leaves was thought to stop bleeding from ulcers and cure diarrhea. Yellow and green dyes can be obtained from the whole plant. |
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Photos for SFBG by Janice Tucker
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