Red pigweed (Chenopodium rubrum)
Other names Red goosefoot, Coastblite goosefoot, Alkali blite
At a glance
- Lifecycle
- Annual
- Exposure
- Full sun
Cultivation
An easily grown plant, succeeding in most soils but disliking shade.
Propagation
Seed - sow spring in situ. Most of the seed usually germinates within a few days of sowing.
Edible uses
Leaves - raw or cooked as a spinach. The raw leaves should only be eaten in small quantities, see the notes above on toxicity. Seed - ground into a powder and used with cereal flours to make bread, cakes etc. The seed is small and fiddly, it should be soaked in water overnight and thoroughly rinsed before it is used in order to remove any saponins.
Material uses
Gold/green dyes can be obtained from the whole plant.
Habitat
Waste and cultivated land, often near the sea, also in farmyards and rubbish tips.
Native range
Most of Europe, including Britain, east to central Asia. Also in N. America..
Scientific synonyms Oxybasis rubra