pigweed

Pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus). Photo: Betty Marose

Updated: February 27, 2023

Life cycle

Summer annual

Growth habit

Erect, grows 2 to 5 ft. high, branching; leaves alternate, egg-shaped, dull green to reddish

Reproduction

Seed; small greenish flowers produced in dense, stiff terminal panicles; seed production from late summer to fall, until severe frost; can produce up to 117,000 seeds per plant

Conditions that favor growth

Primarily weeds of agricultural and horticultural crops; adapt to a wide variety of soil types; thrive in sunny, fertile locations

Cultural control

Manually remove plants before flowering occurs and seeds are produced

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