Biological Name:
Amaranthus retroflexus (Slender-Pigweed)
Natural Habitat:
Slender-Pigweed: Fields and meadows, North America
Description:
Slender-Pigweed also known as Amaranthus is a plant that is native to grassland and prairie regions of North America. It is an annual herb that can grow up to six feet tall and it has small oval-shaped leaves and small inconspicuous flowers that are typically green or yellow in color. The plant is known for its slender upright growth habit and it is often found in disturbed or degraded habitats.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Is pigweed poisonous to humans?
A: Yes, the weeds in the garden we call pigweed, including prostrate pigweed, from the amaranth family, are edible. Every part of the plant can be eaten, but the young leaves and growing tips on older plants are the tastiest and most tender. The seeds are nutritious, edible, and are not difficult to harvest.
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Q: What does pigweed tell you about your soil?
A: Redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus) indicates that the soil is heavily compacted by either heavy foot traffic or just high clay content. Compaction is a sign of low aeration, meaning lower oxygen for roots, soil microbes, water logging and undeveloped root system.
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Q: Is pigweed toxic to dogs?
A: Amaranth greens, sometimes called pigweed, are toxic for dogs because of oxalates and nitrates that are present in the vegetable. If consumed, oxalates and nitrates can cause kidney failure in dogs.
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Q: Why is pigweed so difficult to control?
A: The researchers have determined a specific genetic feature, the extrachromosomal circular DNA (eccDNA) replicon, gives pigweed, or glyphosate resistant palmer amaranth, its resistance to glyphosate and makes this weed difficult to control.
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Q: What part of pigweed is poisonous?
A: Pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus) is a common annual weed found throughout the United States. The weed can grow three to four feet; the flowers are green and prickly and the plant has oval shaped leaves. The pigweed’s leaves, roots and stems are toxic.
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Q: What is the difference between pigweed and amaranth?
A: Smooth pigweed has a more rounded first leaf than Powell amaranth. Readily distinguished from redroot pigweed only when mature. Very small fine hairs are found throughout plant. Flowering structure is highly branched, more so than redroot pigweed or Powell amaranth.
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Q: Do animals eat pigweed?
A: Typically, pigweeds are not palatable to animals, but they can consume pigweeds in desperate situations.
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Q: What is pigweed good for?
A: The leaves of pigweed are also incredibly nutritious. They’re high in vitamins A and C and folate, as well as calcium. In Jamaica, pigweed is known as callaloo and is a culinary staple.
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Q: What is another name for pigweed?
A: Amaranthus retroflexus is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaranthaceae with several common names, including red-root amaranth, redroot pigweed, red-rooted pigweed, common amaranth, pigweed amaranth, and common tumbleweed.
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Q: Should you pull pigweed?
A: If pigweeds are in the advanced reproductive stage and might drop viable seed when handled, carefully bagging plants is even more important, Farr and others say. Guy Collins, cotton Extension associate professor at North Carolina State University, also advocates hand pulling.
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Q: Does pigweed come back every year?
A: Prostrate pigweed — AKA mat amaranth, prostrate amaranth or spreading pigweed — is a summer annual that acts like a perennial. Although it completes its life cycle in one growing season, it can come back year after year, seemingly resisting any attempts to eradicate it.
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Q: Is pigweed poisonous to dogs?
A: Amaranth greens, sometimes called pigweed, are toxic for dogs because of oxalates and nitrates that are present in the vegetable. If consumed, oxalates and nitrates can cause kidney failure in dogs.
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Q: Does Roundup work on pigweed?
A: Pigheaded pigweed- an amaranth that can’t be killed by Roundup – Plants and Pipettes.
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Q: Why do they call it pigweed?
A: Their common name, pigweed, may have comes from its use as fodder for pigs. Pigweed plants are commonly considered to be weeds by farmers and gardeners because they thrive in disturbed soils.
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Q: What is the difference between amaranth and pigweed?
A: It is also known as Palmer pigweed. Palmer amaranth is related to other pigweeds in our region including redroot, smooth, Powell, and spiny, but unlike these other pigweeds, Palmer amaranth grows faster and is dioecious, meaning that plants are either male or female.
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