Amaranthus Species, Green Amaranth, Redroot Pigweed, Rough Pigweed, Vegetable Amaranth, Wild Beet

This Amaranthus retroflexus is the Green Pigweed, Rough Pigweed, or Redroot that is the most common of the Pigweed species in the US. The...Read More leaves are all green as is the flower-seed spikes that arise. It can get up to 6 feet high, though it usually is about 3 feet high. The thick taproot has a red color. It is a common annual weed in gardens, farm fields, orchards, and waste places. Once pulled out of the ground, which can be hard if large, kills it off.This Green Pigweed is shown in the Golden Guide booklet called "Weeds. The book called "Weeds of the North Central States" Circular 718 from the University of Illinois terms it as the Rough Pigweed and show a good illustration of it. The first two photos in this file are in the wrong place. They should be with the beet-like cultivar of 'Fotete'.

Found in West Indian and Chinese Markets as a vegetable, similar to spinach. Called "bhagee" in the Caribbean. I tasted this as a Guyanes...Read Moree dish which was sautéed down with unsweetened coconut milk, garlic, onions and salt & pepper and it was delicious.

This is easy to grow -loves hot weather -great Spinach substitute in hot weather-very nutritious-and is tender and has a mild flavor-good...Read More in salad or cooked as a green.Not frost tollerant.