Edible Parts: Flowers  Leaves  Seed
Edible Uses:

A top-tier wild edible producing excellent spinach-like greens and easily processed, highly nutritious quinoa-like seeds. Safe when cooked and exceptionally abundant, it remains one of the most important edible “weeds” worldwide. Edible Uses & Rating: Both the leaves and seeds are edible. Lambsquarter is an excellent wild vegetable with spinach-like leaves that serve well both raw and cooked. The seeds are also edible and were historically an important grain-like food, comparable in many ways to quinoa. As a wild edible, lambsquarter ranks extremely high: the leaves are flavorful, abundant, and nutritious, and the seeds represent a reliable caloric resource accessible in large quantities. Its rating among wild foods is exceptional, placing it among the best all-purpose edible plants in disturbed or cultivated landscapes [2-3]. Leaves - raw or cooked[2, 4, 5, 9, 12, 20, 54, 62, 102]. A very acceptable spinach substitute[183], the taste is a little bland but this can be improved by adding a few stronger-flavoured leaves[9]. One report says that, when eaten with beans, the leaves will act as a carminative to prevent wind and bloating[257]. The leaves are best not eaten raw, see the notes above on toxicity[74]. The leaves are generally very nutritious but very large quantities can disturb the nervous system and cause gastric pain[74]. The leaves contain about 3.9% protein, 0.76% fat, 8.93% carbohydrate, 3% ash[179]. A zero moisture basis analysis is also available[218]. Edible seed - dried and ground into a meal and eaten raw or baked into a bread[[2, 4, 12, 14, 54, 102, 183]. The seed can also be sprouted and added to salads[183]. The seed is very fiddly to harvest and use due to its small size[9]. Although it is rather small, we have found the seed very easy to harvest and simple enough to utilize[K]. The seed should be soaked in water overnight and thoroughly rinsed before being used in order to remove any saponins. The seed contains about 49% carbohydrate, 16% protein, 7% ash, 5.88% ash[114, 179]. Young inflorescences - cooked[183]. A tasty broccoli substitute[K]. Taste, Processing & Kitchen Notes: Fresh leaves have a mild, spinach-like flavor with a slightly salty undertone and no bitterness. The mealy surface can feel soft and pleasant and helps thicken soups when cooked. Leaves are excellent as salad greens when young, though the oxalate content makes long-term consumption of large raw quantities unwise. Cooking neutralizes harshness and improves digestibility, producing a flavor comparable to spinach but slightly richer [2-3]. Seeds are tiny but delicious when toasted or boiled. Toasting imparts a nutty, quinoa-like aroma. Boiling creates a soft porridge with a faint sweetness. Combining toasting and boiling often yields the best flavor and texture. Seeds can also be ground into flour for breads or pancakes. The papery pericarp is thin and softens during cooking; elaborate processing is rarely required [2-3]. Seasonality (Phenology): Lambsquarter germinates in spring and grows vigorously through summer, producing abundant leaves until flowering. Flowering typically begins in mid-summer, with seed ripening from late summer through autumn. Leaves remain edible until the plant becomes overly tough near maturity. Seeds persist on drying stalks well into late autumn, sometimes into early winter if not dispersed by wind or wildlife. Safety & Cautions (Food Use): Leaves contain oxalates and saponins, especially in older foliage. Cooking reduces these compounds significantly. Consuming very large quantities of raw leaves may cause digestive discomfort or—rarely—oxalate-related issues in susceptible individuals. Seeds are generally safe but should be cooked for digestibility. Avoid harvesting from chemically treated fields or roadsides [2-3]. Harvest & Processing Workflow: For leaf harvest, pick young growing tips or tender upper leaves in spring and early summer. Wash thoroughly to remove soil and the natural mealy coating. Use raw in salads or lightly steam or boil for cooked dishes. For seeds, wait until late summer or autumn when seed heads dry to a dark color. Strip seed clusters into a container, winnow lightly to remove excess chaff, and toast or boil. Storage is easy: dried seeds keep for months in airtight containers. Cultivar / Selection Notes: No named cultivars exist for C. album, though related species such as quinoa have been domesticated. Garden volunteers may vary in leaf size, color, and mealy coating. Look-Alikes & Confusion Risks: Goosefoot species are often confused with one another. Chenopodium berlandieri, C. fremontii, and C. pratericola can appear similar. Lambsquarter is distinguished by its triangular leaves, mealy white coating, and relatively mild odor. Young amaranths resemble goosefoots but have different leaf venation and lack the mealy surface. Traditional / Indigenous Use Summary: Many Indigenous nations—including Apache, Navajo, Hopi, Paiute, Pima, and Pueblo peoples—used lambsquarter as both a leafy green and seed crop. Leaves were boiled or dried for winter use, while seeds were ground into flour, used in porridge, baked into bread, or combined with other grains. Archaeological evidence shows lambsquarter seeds used in North America for over 8,000 years and possibly cultivated during the Eastern Agricultural Complex.

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Anthelmintic  Antiphlogistic  Antirheumatic  Contraceptive  Dysentery  Laxative  Odontalgic  Urinary


Fat hen is not employed in herbal medicine, though it does have some gentle medicinal properties and is a very nutritious and healthy addition to the diet[268]. The leaves are anthelmintic, antiphlogistic, antirheumatic, mildly laxative, odontalgic[172, 222, 243, 268]. An infusion is taken in the treatment of rheumatism[257]. The leaves are applied as a wash or poultice to bug bites, sunstroke, rheumatic joints and swollen feet, whilst a decoction is used for carious teeth[218]. The seeds are chewed in the treatment of urinary problems and are considered useful for relieving the discharge of semen through the urine[272]. The juice of the stems is applied to freckles and sunburn[218]. The juice of the root is used in the treatment of bloody dysentery[272]. Food that comprises 25.5% of the powdered herb may suppress the oestrus cycle[218].

Dye  Soap

A green dye is obtained from the young shoots[99]. The crushed fresh roots are a mild soap substitute[106]. Ecology & Wildlife: Seeds are eaten by many birds, including sparrows, finches, and doves. Leaves host certain caterpillars and insects, contributing to food web diversity. The plant accumulates minerals and nitrogen, improving soil fertility when it decomposes. Its abundant seed production is a major wildlife food resource in late autumn.

Special Uses

Dynamic accumulator  Food Forest