Palmer Amaranth
Amaranthus palmeri
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Description
A wild amaranth native to North America, particularly the arid Southwest.
Cooked greens are edible. Can accumulate toxic levels of nitrates when grown on artificially fertilized soils.
A fast-growing C4 plant adapted to extreme heat and drought, growing during the brief rainy season in the Southwest US. A serious weed in industrial agriculture.
Plants are dioecious. Males can trigger pollen allergies in sensitive individuals.
