Lamb’s quarters (fat hen)
Chenopodium album
A fast-growing annual with variable goosefoot-shaped leaves and a pale, mealy coating on young growth. Identified young leaves and shoots have culinary uses, usually cooked. Other plants also share the names pigweed or goosefoot.
Native range
Widespread across temperate regions; original range and related forms are complex and treated differently by references.
Typical season
A summer annual; tenderness and suitability depend on growth stage. No reviewed local picking calendar is assigned.
Identification
Compare alternate leaves, mealy new growth, angular stems and small green flower clusters. Photograph the whole plant. Older raw parts and large quantities can be harmful; oxalates and saponins make this a preparation-dependent food, not a ready-to-eat leaf from any pin.