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Amaranthus retroflexus Linnaeus. Common name: Rough Pigweed, Redroot, Redroot Amaranth. Phenology: May-Oct. Habitat: Disturbed areas. Distribution: Native of c. and e. North America, now nearly worldwide in distribution and the original native range difficult or impossible to determine.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, C, Can, F, FNA4, G, GrPl, Il, K4, Mex, Mi, Mo2, NcTx, NE, NY, Ok, Pa, RAB, S, S13, Tat, Tn, Va, W, WH3, Bayón (2015), Costea & Tardif (2003b); = Amaranthus retroflexus L. var. retroflexus; > Amaranthus retroflexus L. var. retroflexus — Tx; > Amaranthus retroflexus L. var. salicifolius I.M.Johnst. — Tx. Basionym: Amaranthus retroflexus L. 1753

Links to other floras: = Amaranthus retroflexus - FNA4

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FAC
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACU
  • Great Plains: FACU
  • Midwest: FACU
  • Northcentral & Northeast: FACU

Heliophily ⓘ: 8

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image of plant© Aidan Campos source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Aidan Campos source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Aidan Campos source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Aidan Campos source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Bill Harms | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Erect annual from a thick, pink taproot, found in disturbed areas. Native of c. and e. North America, now nearly worldwide in distribution.

Stems: Stems stout, sparingly branched, light green with fine, white, longitudinal lines and hairy.

Leaves: Leaves alternate, petiolate, oval to diamond-shaped with a bluntly pointed tip, 2-6 in. long, with slightly wavy margins, hairy underneath at least on veins.

Inforescence: Flowers in a large, dense terminal panicle and some shorter, simple spikes from middle and upper leaf axils; green to silvery-green, minute, each resting on 1 or more spiny-pointed bracts.

Flowers:

Fruits: Fruit a blackish-brown seed surrounded by a membrane.

Comments:

Height: 1-3 ft.

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: Erect annual from a thick, pink taproot, found in disturbed areas. Native of c. and e. North America, now nearly worldwide in distribution.

stems: Stems stout, sparingly branched, light green with fine, white, longitudinal lines and hairy.

leaves: Leaves alternate, petiolate, oval to diamond-shaped with a bluntly pointed tip, 2-6 in. long, with slightly wavy margins, hairy underneath at least on veins.

inflorescence: Flowers in a large, dense terminal panicle and some shorter, simple spikes from middle and upper leaf axils; green to silvery-green, minute, each resting on 1 or more spiny-pointed bracts.

flowers:

fruits: Fruit a blackish-brown seed surrounded by a membrane.

comments:

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range:



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