Mapleleaf goosefoot (Chenopodium simplex)

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

Chenopodium simplex is a ANNUAL growing to 1.2 m (4ft). It is in flower from July to October, and the seeds ripen from August to October. 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 like spinach. The raw leaves should only be eaten in small quantities, see the notes above on toxicity. Seed - cooked. Ground into a powder and used with wheat or other cereals in making bread etc. — Leaves - cooked and used like spinach.; The raw leaves should only be eaten in small quantities, see the notes above on toxicity.; Ground into a powder and used with wheat or other cereals 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

Woods, thickets, hardwood slopes, wooded tallus, nutrient-rich woods, sometimes in waste places and fields from sea level to 1800 metres. (Zone 4, Zone 5, Zone 6, Zone 7, Zone 8)