Pigweed

[LadyLocust]

@joel and @elkhound I think you two were my pigweed friends over in the garden thread.
Thought some here might find this interesting if they didn't already know.
StackPath.

 

[Amish Heart]

I use it for animal food. All fowl love it.

 

[joel]

 

[joel]

I have pulled up truck loads of this plant, we feed it to the hogs.
Our chickens ran wild, dad did have some sex-link hen in a hen house, for a few years.
Most of the chicken roosted in tree, even when the sex-links where in the house.
Pigweed & forty knotweed are burnt in my brain, never knew it family was thousands of years old.
Was served in CA at Aztec feast.
"Amaranth was a staple food crop of the Aztecs, as important to their civilization as corn or beans. Amaranth is a super food. It is easy to cultivate, and the grains contain more bio-available protein than soybeans or even milk, while the edible leaves are rich in iron and vitamin C."

 

[LadyLocust]

I have pulled up truck loads of this plant, we feed it to the hogs.
Our chickens ran wild, dad did have some sex-link hen in a hen house, for a few years.
Most of the chicken roosted in tree, even when the sex-links where in the house.
Pigweed & forty knotweed are burnt in my brain, never knew it family was thousands of years old.
Was served in CA at Aztec feast.
"Amaranth was a staple food crop of the Aztecs, as important to their civilization as corn or beans. Amaranth is a super food. It is easy to cultivate, and the grains contain more bio-available protein than soybeans or even milk, while the edible leaves are rich in iron and vitamin C."

Somewhere amongst the threads, I've posted the warning even the domestic/pretty variety "love lies bleeding" becomes a weed. My mom has them, and now so do all her neighbors.

 

[joel]

Somewhere amongst the threads, I've posted the warning even the domestic/pretty variety "love lies bleeding" becomes a weed. My mom has them, and now so do all her neighbors.

Yes! They have tons of tiny seeds, birds, wind, rain run off, will spread them.
I will plant them in a field & if they get out of hand the deer can have them or the bush hog can eat them. My land has many weeds, one more will not hurt.
But I can see why city neighbors would not like them, thanks for the reminder, pig WEED.
Invasive edible are the best kind of weeds, sunchoke, Horseradish, collard green that seed out.

 

[Bacpacker]

I have some amaranth growing in our yard. It comes back every year and I'll leave it till it goes to seed and mow it down. I'll get some pics, but one is taller than I am.

 

[Amish Heart]

I planted Love Lies Bleeding in pots this year. Lines our walkway. Didn't realize it grows so well. Bought amaranth seed from Baker Creek, but didn't plant any.