prostrate pigweed
Amaranthus albus
When mature and dried, the stem snaps at the base, transforming the entire plant into a tumbleweed that rolls with the wind to disperse its seeds.
- Scientific name
- Amaranthus albus
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Caryophyllales › Amaranthaceae › Amaranthus
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- urban
- Habitat
- Disturbed soils, agricultural fields, roadsides, railways, and vacant urban lots.
- Diet
- Photosynthetic (requires sunlight, water, and soil nutrients)
- Range
- North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, South America
- Size
- Stems 10 to 50 cm long, forming flat, mat-like structures close to the ground.
- Lifespan
- 1 year (annual)
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Chemical herbicides, frequent tilling, and extreme urban paving.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. This plant is safe to touch and observe at any distance. It possesses no stinging hairs or toxins, though its late-summer pollen can trigger mild seasonal allergies in sensitive individuals.
Amaranthus albus is an annual species of flowering plant. It is native to the tropical Americas but a widespread introduced species in other places, including Europe, Africa, and Australia.
Photo: W. Terry Hunefeld, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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