What Are Chenopods?

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Chenopods are plants that are more commonly known as goosefoot or lamb’s quarters. They get their name because “cheno” means goose in Greek and “pod” means foot, and the leaves sometimes remind people of the feet of geese.

Goosefoot is a prolific plant that grows just about everywhere in the continental United States. During the summer, it’s found in gardens, fields, at the side of roads, in drainage ditches and other waste places.

The flowers of the goosefoot are tiny, but yield a great deal of seed and pollen that can cause hay fever. This is one reason that goosefoot is considered a weed in many places.