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Summary
Physical Characteristics
Chenopodium pallidicaule is a ANNUAL growing to 0.6 m (2ft).
It is not frost tender. It is in flower from July to October, and the seeds ripen from August to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Wind. The plant is self-fertile.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid, very alkaline and saline soils.
It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.
UK Hardiness Map
US Hardiness Map
Synonyms
Plant Habitats
Cultivated Beds;
Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Leaves Seed
Edible Uses: Drink
Leaves - cooked and used like spinach[196]. The raw leaves should only be eaten in small quantities, see the notes above on toxicity. Young leaves contain up to 30% protein (dry weight)[196]. Seed - cooked[57, 61, 97, 105, 177]. It can be toasted and ground into a nutty tasting powder that can be used as a breakfast cereal. It can also be used to make biscuits, mixed with flour it is used to make bread and a hot beverage similar to hot chocolate can also be made from it[183, 196]. Very small, about 1mm in diameter, but abundantly produced[196]. The seed contains little or no saponins and so can be used without pre-treatment[196]. The seed is extremely nutritious, it contains about 16% of a high quality protein (it is notably rich in lysine, isoleucine and tryptophan), almost 60% carbohydrate and 8% fat[196].
References More on Edible Uses
Medicinal Uses
Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
None known
References More on Medicinal Uses
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Other Uses
Dye
Gold/green dyes can be obtained from the whole plant[168].
Special Uses
References More on Other Uses
Cultivation details
Succeeds on most soils, including shallow soils, but dislikes shade[196, 200]. Prefers a moderately fertile soil[200]. Once the plant is about 5cm tall it is very drought tolerant[196]. The plant has short stout stems and resists wind and heavy rain[196]. It is also more resistant than barley or quinoa to low night temperatures[196]. Plants do not like excess humidity[196]. They tolerate a pH in the range from 4.8 to 8.5 and shows some salt tolerance[196]. Adult plants are unaffected by night frosts in the growing season, the seed can germinate at a soil temperature of 5°c, whilst the plant will flower at 10°c and ripen its seed at 15°c[196]. Cañihua was once often cultivated for its edible seed in S. America[183], though it is seldom grown now[264]. There are some named varieties[61, 196]. The seed is somewhat laborious to harvest and dehusk, it is enveloped in a papery husk and this is removed by soaking in water and then rubbing[196]. Most varieties take about 150 days from seed sowing to harvest, but at least one quick-maturing type can be harvested in 95 days[196]. Yields of 2.4 tonnes per hectare are average, but twice this has been recorded[196]. Plants seem to be quite resistant to most pests and diseases[196]. The flowers are closed at fertility and so seem to be almost exclusively self-pollinating[196]. Plants are day-length neutral and have matured crops as far north as latitude 64°north in Finland[196]. Although used in much the same way, this species is not very closely related to quinoa, C. quinoa[196].
References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information
Temperature Converter
Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:
Fahrenheit:
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Plant Propagation
Seed - sow spring in situ. Most of the seed usually germinates within a few days of sowing.
Other Names
If available other names are mentioned here
Native Range
Coming Soon
Weed Potential
Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section.
Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :
| Related Plants
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| Latin Name | Common Name | Habit | Height | Hardiness | Growth | Soil | Shade | Moisture | Edible | Medicinal | Other |
| Chenopodium acuminatum | | Annual | 0.6 |
-
| | LMH | N | M | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Chenopodium album | Fat Hen, Lambsquarters | Annual | 0.9 |
0-0
| | LMH | N | M | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Chenopodium ambrosioides | Mexican Tea | Annual/Perennial | 1.0 |
7-10
| | LMH | N | M | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Chenopodium ambrosioides anthelminticum | Wormseed | Annual/Perennial | 1.0 |
7-10
| | LMH | N | M | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Chenopodium auricomum | Queensland Bluebush | Annual | 1.8 |
-
| | LMH | N | M | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Chenopodium berlandieri | Southern Huauzontle, Pitseed goosefoot, Nuttall's goosefoot, Bush's goosefoot, Zschack's goosefoot | Annual | 1.2 |
0-0
| | LMH | N | M | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Chenopodium bonus-henricus | Good King Henry | Perennial | 0.3 |
4-8
| | LMH | N | M | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Chenopodium botrys | Jerusalem Oak, Jerusalem oak goosefoot | Annual | 0.6 |
0-0
| | LMH | N | M | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Chenopodium bushianum | Bush's goosefoot | Annual | 0.6 |
0-0
| | LMH | N | M | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Chenopodium californicum | California Goosefoot | Annual | 0.6 |
-
| | LMH | N | DM | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Chenopodium canihua | | Annual | 0.0 |
-
| | LMH | N | M | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Chenopodium capitatum | Strawberry Blite, Blite goosefoot | Annual | 0.6 |
4-8
| | LMH | N | M | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Chenopodium cristatum | Crested Goosefoot | Annual | 0.6 |
-
| | LMH | N | M | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Chenopodium ficifolium | Fig-Leaved Goosefoot | Annual | 0.9 |
4-8
| | LMH | N | M | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Chenopodium foliosum | Leafy goosefoot | Annual | 0.6 |
4-8
| | LMH | N | M | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| Chenopodium fremontii | Goosefoot, Fremont's goosefoot, Pringle's goosefoot | Annual | 0.6 |
0-0
| | LMH | N | M | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Chenopodium giganteum | Tree Spinach | Annual | 2.4 |
4-8
| | LMH | N | M | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| Chenopodium glaucum | Oak-Leaved Goosefoot | Annual | 0.3 |
-
| | LMH | N | M | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Chenopodium graveolens | Foetid Goosefoot | Annual | 0.9 |
-
| | LMH | N | M | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Chenopodium hybridum | | Annual | 1.5 |
-
| | LMH | N | M | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Chenopodium incanum | Mealy Goosefoot | Annual | 0.5 |
-
| | LMH | N | M | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Chenopodium leptophyllum | Narrow Leaved Goosefoot | Annual | 0.6 |
0-0
| | LMH | N | M | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Chenopodium murale | Nettleleaf Goosefoot | Annual | 0.6 |
0-0
| | LMH | N | M | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Chenopodium nuttalliae | Huauzontle, Nuttall's goosefoot | Annual | 0.6 |
0-0
| | LMH | N | M | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| Chenopodium opulifolium | Seaport goosefoot | Annual | 0.8 |
0-0
| | LMH | SN | M | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Chenopodium overi | Over's goosefoot | Annual | 0.8 |
0-0
| | LMH | N | M | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Chenopodium polyspermum | All-Seed, Manyseed goosefoot | Annual | 0.9 |
0-0
| | LMH | N | M | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Chenopodium pratericola | Desert Goosefoot | Annual | 1.0 |
-
| | LMH | N | M | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Chenopodium quinoa | Quinoa, Goosefoot, Pigweed, Inca Wheat | Annual | 1.5 |
10-12
| F | LMH | N | M | 5 | 0 | 2 |
|
|
Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.
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Botanical References
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