Lamb's-quarters (Chenopodium album) are one of a forager's favorite treats. If you are a fan of spinach, you'll covet lamb's-quarters. It was brought to the United States by European immigrants and once the seeds were spread, the plant dispersed throughout the continent.
Lamb's-quarters is an herbaceous annual that can grow between 3-5 feet if you let it. It has a slightly grooved stem, with a red tint usually near the joints of the stem. The leaves have a mealy white underside which is often mistaken for mold or a pesticide - however, it is actually a protective bloom that allows for water to bead and roll off of the leaves. (Try spraying it with the hose and see what happens).
The plant is commonly called "lamb's-quarters" because it was thought the shape of the leaves looked like a lamb's quarter (or hind.) Other common names for this plant are "Goosefoot" because of the shape of the leaf looking like a goose's foot (this is what I see when I look at it) and "pigweed" because of the pigs' penchant for rolling in and munching on this delicious plant.
The name "Chenepodium" can be broken down into "cheno" which means "goose" and "podium" which means foot; "album" means "goose" - so the scientific name actually translates to "white goose's foot."
If you allow this plant to mature and flower you will notice dozens of tiny, inconspicuous green flowers in short dense spikes. By late summer and fall these flowers will go to seed, leaving you with up to 75,000 tiny seeds per plant*.
You can find Chenepodium in your garden, along roadsides and anywhere there is disturbed soil - it isn't particular. You can feast on the young shoots in spring and continue eating the leaves (especially the younger ones near the top) until the plant is killed off by frost. If you come across it while weeding, remove the plant completely, strip off the leaves and cook them anyway you would spinach. I prefer to sauté my Chenopodium with a little bit of olive oil, garlic and vegetable broth. You can toss it with pasta or rice or just eat it as a side dish. It is yummy stuff. I'm fortunate that my garden plot has an unending supply!
Two things to note when seeking out lamb's-quarters:
1. it will absorb nitrates from contaminated soil, so make sure you are familiar with the area before you go taking it home and eating it and
2. there is a type of leaf miner who's larvae will bore through the leaf, leaving a red trail wherever it goes. You don't want to eat these leaves either.
If you are fortunate to come across a large stand of lamb's-quarters, you can eat it fresh, or dry some for later use. It is great to add to soups and stews in the winter months. The seeds are also edible, so keep an eye out when flowers start forming and come back later to collect the seeds - they are great to bake with or sprinkle on oatmeal and granola.
Lamb's-quarters is a great source of beta carotene, calcium, potassium and iron and provides trace minerals,B-complex vitamins, Vitamin C and fiber.
Happy Foraging!
*From "Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Wild Plants" - Steve Brill
