Lambsquarters

Common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album) may be edible, but you probably don’t want it anywhere near your garden.

Lambsquarters (Rasbak CC BY-SA 3.0)

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California goosefoot (Blitum californicum) is also known as lambsquarters, but is a close cousin to spinach and the subject of another post, another day.


Lambsquarters grows pretty much everywhere without any help from any of us. Sadly, this tenacious weed also plays host to several diseases.

Young lambsquarters (6th Happiness CC BY-SA 3.0)

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Diseases of lambsquarters

These weeds are susceptible to a large number of plant diseases. The list of diseases commonly found on lambsquarter, and the crops they infect, include:

• beet curly top (beans, beets, celery, melons, peppers, spinach, squash, tomatoes
• mosaic viruses (alfalfa, bean, beet, barley, cucumber, eggplant, hops, lettuce, squash, watermelon)
• potato viruses X, M, and S (potatoes)
• ringspot virus (mulberry, tomato, pepper, potato, and stone fruits)

The green peach aphid, a serious disease-carrier, seems to prefer lambsquarters, which gives us yet another reason for pulling these weeds out as soon as they are seen.


Lambsquarters description

Lambsquarters start out with tiny dull bluish oblong leaves. You may see a reddish purple on the underside. As leaves mature, they take on more of a toothed, lance shape. Leaves are covered with a white, powdery coating, especially when new. Stems are sometimes tinged red or purple. Flower clusters form much like the seed heads of millet and quinoa.


Lambsquarters control

Pull them out. Dig them out. Don’t let them go to seed.