Common Names

Hui-t'iao (Chinese name)
Pigweed
White goosefoot
Wild Spinach
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Parts Usually Used

Leaves
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Description of Plant(s) and Culture

Lamb's quarter is an erect, annual weed, 1-3 feet high; the stem often mealy, red-streaked. Leaves somewhat diamond-shaped, coarsely toothed; mealy white beneath. Flowers greenish-white, on densely flowered spikes, inconspicuous; in clusters; June to October.
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Where Found

Found in gardens, fields, waste places. Throughout the United States.
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Medicinal Properties

Stomachic, antiscorbutic
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Biochemical Information

Phosphorus, iron, calcium, vitamins A, B2, Niacin, and C
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Legends, Myths and Stories

This weed found in most gardens makes a good spinach substitute. The young tops are pinched off and steamed in a small amount of water. The nutritional value is greater than spinach, and the flavor is similar. Foliage and seeds are edible.

Although discarded by most Americans, not so the Native Americans. Lamb's Quarters are a favorite among and gathered by Navajos, the Pueblo Indians of New Mexico, all the tribes of Arizona, the Diggers of California, and the Utahs. Boiled as an herb alone, or with other foods, large quantities are also eaten in the raw state.
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Uses

Native Americans ate the leaves to treat stomachaches and prevent scurvy. Cold tea used for diarrhea. Leaf poultice used for burns and swellings. Fold remedy for vitiligo, a skin disorder.
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Nutrient Content

Phosphorus, iron, calcium, vitamins A, B2, Niacin, and C
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Bibliography

• Back to Eden, by Jethro Kloss; pg., 92.
• Chinese Medicinal Herbs, compiled by Li Shih-Chen, pgs., 104-105.
• The Herbalist Almanac, by Clarence Meyer, pgs., 147, 154.
• The Herb Book, by John Lust, pgs., 496, 497, 499, 500, 501, 503, 506.
• Eastern/Central Medicinal Plants, by Steven Foster and James A. Duke, pg., 216.
• Webster's New World Dictionary, Third College Edition, Victoria Neufeldt, Editor in Chief, pg., 756.
• The Rodale Herb Book, edited by William H. Hylton, pgs., 69, 111, 268, 482-483.

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