Bush's goosefoot (Chenopodium bushianum)

Family: Chenopodiaceae | Edibility: Edible (2/5)

Chenopodium bushianum is a ANNUAL growing to 0.6 m (2ft). It is in flower from September to October, and the seeds ripen from October to November. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Wind. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

Edible Parts & Harvest Seasons

Edible Parts: Nuts/Seeds, Leaves

Harvest Seasons: Spring, Early Summer, Late Summer, Fall, Winter

Flavor & Culinary Uses

Leaves - cooked and used as a spinach. The raw leaves should only be eaten in small quantities, see the notes above on toxicity. Seed - cooked. It can be ground into a meal and used with cereal flours in making bread etc. — Leaves - cooked and used as a spinach.; The raw leaves should only be eaten in small quantities, see the notes above on toxicity.; It can be ground into a meal and used with cereal flours in making bread etc.; The seed is small and fiddly, it should be soaked in water overnight and thoroughly rinsed before it is used in order to remove any saponins.

Habitat & North American Range

Disturbed areas, mostly as weed in cultivated ground, woods and alluvial river banks. (Zone 4, Zone 5, Zone 6, Zone 7, Zone 8)