Other goosefoots
Many Chenopodium look alike; most are used similarly.
Use the botanical sourceCulinary reference
Lamb's quarters.
Chenopodium album
Also found as Fat hen · White goosefoot
A common garden weed with goose-foot shaped leaves dusted in a white, mealy coating, eaten like spinach.
Sources checked 27 September 2026 · Specialist field review pending
Before any gathering or use
High in oxalate and can accumulate nitrate on fertilized soil. Avoid sprayed fields.
Where it grows
Tracked records and known growing zone
- Verified records
- 34,341
- People who recorded it
- 13,246
- Most records (northern hemisphere)
- Jun–Aug
- Records span
- 1940–2026
| January | 118 |
|---|---|
| February | 76 |
| March | 123 |
| April | 1371 |
| May | 3252 |
| June | 7092 |
| July | 8370 |
| August | 6398 |
| September | 3583 |
| October | 1596 |
| November | 647 |
| December | 235 |
Research-grade iNaturalist records, snapshot Aug 27, 2026. The growing zone combines areas where different people have repeatedly verified it. Records show where people looked and found it, not current abundance or permission to gather.
01 / Learn to see
Field marks
- 01
Diamond to goose-foot shaped leaves with irregular teeth.
- 02
Young leaves and growing tips coated in a white, mealy powder.
- 03
Tiny green flowers in clusters at stem tips.
These are study prompts, not a complete identification key. Confirm the full plant with a regional flora and an experienced local identifier.
02 / Resolve the differences
Look closely. Compare.
Nightshades
Toxic · do not eatSeedlings of nightshades lack the mealy coating; check each plant.
Selected comparisons only. Other lookalikes may occur locally.
03 / Meet the place
Habitat & season
Range context
Nearly worldwide in disturbed, cultivated ground.
Watch the plant stage
Tender growth from spring to summer; seeds in autumn.
Stage guidance is not a local forecast. Check your climate, elevation and a regional source; no month-shift formula is used here.
04 / Gather with care
Documented use & care
Parts discussed: Young leaf · Shoot tip · Seed
Cook young leaves like spinach. Rinse seeds well before cooking.
Care for the patch
Harvest from gardens and clean fields rather than roadsides.
Preparation & storage essentials05 / Follow the evidence
Sources & review
- Wikipedia · Chenopodium albumBotanical description, range and documented use
- iNaturalist · Chenopodium albumTaxonomy and verified observation records
Checked 27 September 2026. Original editorial synthesis; source institutions have not reviewed or endorsed this guide. Independent botanical field review is pending. Photos illustrate specimens; they do not certify the identity of a plant you find.
Suggest a correction