Common Lambsquarters

Chenopodium album

Weed Description
Summer annual to 3 1/2 feet in height capable of producing thousands of seeds.

Seedlings
Cotyledons elliptic (12-15 mm long), dull green with a mealy gray cast on the upper surface and maroon on the underside, turning green with age. Hypocotyls are hairless, green or tinged with maroon. The first pair of true leaves are opposite, all other leaves are alternate. Seedling leaves are triangular and also have a mealy gray cast.

Leaves
Alternate, light green, rounded, triangular, 1 1/4 to 10 inches long and on a long petiole.

Stems
Erect, hairless, grooved, branching and light green with red coloration in varying degrees.

Flowers
Small and clustered into panicles at tips of branches and upper leaf axils. Flowers are green, inconspicuous, without petals and occur from June to September.

Fruit
An utricle with a thin papery covering over the seeds.

Roots
Short, much-branched taproot.

Identifying Characteristics
Cotyledons and seedling leaves have a mealy gray cast. Cotyledons of common lambsquarters and Redroot Pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus) are similar, however redroot pigweed cotyledons have a prominent midvein while lambsquarter cotyledons do not.

Trouble identifying a weed?

For additional assistance identifying weeds, contact Dr. Kevin Braldly, State Extension Weed Scientist (bradleyke@missouri.edu).

Office of Programs

University of Missouri

Common Lambsquarters

Chenopodium album

Trouble identifying a weed?