Pigweed (Amaranth)

About Pigweed (Amaranth)

A member of the Amaranthus plant family, pigweed is a notorious weed that causes trouble when it gets started in pastures and fields, but problems with pigweed aren’t limited to agriculture. The stubborn weed is just as troublesome when it invades gardens and lawns.

Identification and growth Habits

Pigweed leaves are egg-shaped or oval and may be red-streaked or covered with fine hairs, depending on the species. Some types are upright but pigweed showing up in lawns is often in the form of low-growing mats. Spiky flowers bloom and produce seeds from mid-summer to autumn.

This plant is a summer annual that completes its entire lifecycle in a single year; but one plant leaves many thousands of seeds behind. The seeds can live in the soil for up to 40 years.