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Ontario Weeds: Smooth pigweed

Author: OMAFRA Staff
Creation Date: 01 June 2000
Last Reviewed: 01 November 2003

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Excerpt from Publication 505, Ontario Weeds, Order this publication

Table of Contents

  1. Name
  2. Other Names
  3. Family
  4. General Description
  5. Flowers and Fruit
  6. Habitat
  7. Similar Species
  8. Related Links

Name: Smooth pigweed, Amaranthus hybridus L.,

Other Names: amarante hybride, Green amaranth, Prince's-feather, Wild beet, amarante verte, A. hypochondriacus L.

Family: Amaranth Family (Amaranthaceae)

General Description: Similar in general appearance to both Redroot pigweed and Green pigweed.

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Photos and Pictures

Smooth pigweed

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Flowers & Fruit: It is distinguished from Redroot pigweed by being less hairy; its inflorescence much finer, the individual spikes being nearly always less than 1cm (2/5in.) thick, much less spiny because of their shorter bracts (3-4mm, 1/8-1/6in.), and having smaller flowers (2mm, 1/12in.), hence the name "smooth," both terminal and lateral spikes usually longer and pointing upward. It is distinguished from Green pigweed by its more slender and less spiny spikes.

Habitat: Smooth pigweed occurs in gardens, fields and waste places in southern Ontario, especially in the southwestern counties.

Similar Species: Hybridization is known to occur among Redroot pigweed, Green pigweed and Smooth pigweed. Plants which seem to be intermediate or have a mixture of characteristics from any of these species could be hybrids between them.

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Related Links

... on general Weed topics
... on weed identification, order OMAFRA Publication 505: Ontario Weeds
... on weed control, order OMAFRA Publication 75: Guide To Weed Control

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