Redroot Pigweed

Amaranthus retroflexus

SIZE AND DESCRIPTION

Upright, almost unbranched annual to 1m tall. Leaves are alternate, oval and pointed. Flowers are small, and borne in dense clusters on short spikes. Also called Common Amaranth.

DISTRIBUTION

North American species common in southern and central Europe, including Britain, but rarer elsewhere.

USES

Young leaves have a pleasant mild flavour and may be eaten raw in salads or cooked like spinach. When ground into flour, the seeds can be used in soups and to reinforce the protein content of wheat flour in breads. The plant has astringent soothing properties, and is used to control bleeding and diarrhoea.