Lateflowering Goosefoot: A Wild Plant Worth Knowing
Meet lateflowering goosefoot (Chenopodium album var. striatum), a member of the goosefoot family that you’ve probably encountered without even realizing it. This unassuming annual forb might not win any beauty contests, but it plays an interesting role in North American ecosystems and deserves a closer look.
What Is Lateflowering Goosefoot?
Lateflowering goosefoot is a variety of the more common Chenopodium album, distinguished by its particular characteristics and timing. As an annual forb, it completes its entire life cycle in a single growing season, lacking any significant woody tissue above ground. Think of it as nature’s version of a herbaceous annual that pops up, does its thing, and starts over fresh each year.
This plant has quite the collection of scientific aliases, having been known by several synonyms including Chenopodium strictum and various subspecies classifications. Botanists love their name changes, don’t they?
Where Does It Grow?
Lateflowering goosefoot has an impressive geographic range across North America. You can find it growing wild in over 30 states and provinces, from British Columbia to Prince Edward Island in Canada, and from coast to coast in the United States including Arkansas, California, Colorado, and many others. It’s particularly adaptable, which explains its widespread distribution.
Here’s where things get interesting from a native plant perspective: this species has a somewhat complex native status. While it’s considered non-native to Canada (though it reproduces there without human help), it’s actually native to the lower 48 United States. This mixed status makes it neither a clear native choice nor a problematic invasive for most North American gardeners.
Should You Plant It in Your Garden?
Here’s the honest truth: lateflowering goosefoot isn’t typically grown as an ornamental plant, and there’s good reason for that. It lacks the showy flowers or attractive foliage that most gardeners seek. Instead, it’s more of a wild species that tends to appear on its own in disturbed soils, field edges, and waste areas.
If you’re looking to support native wildlife and create a naturalized area, this plant might have some ecological value, though specific wildlife benefits for this variety aren’t well-documented. However, if you’re planning a native garden, you’d be better served by choosing regionally native alternatives that offer more reliable benefits to local pollinators and wildlife.
Better Native Alternatives
Instead of deliberately planting lateflowering goosefoot, consider these native alternatives that offer similar ecological roles with more documented benefits:
- Native wildflowers suited to your specific region
- Indigenous grasses and forbs that support local wildlife
- Regionally native plants from the goosefoot family that are better suited to cultivation
Identifying Lateflowering Goosefoot
If you encounter this plant in the wild, you’ll find it’s relatively nondescript. As a forb, it has soft, herbaceous stems and leaves rather than woody branches. The lateflowering part of its name gives you a clue about its blooming schedule – it tends to flower later in the season than its close relatives.
Look for it in areas with disturbed soil, along roadsides, in vacant lots, or at field edges where it often volunteers on its own.
The Bottom Line
Lateflowering goosefoot is one of those plants that’s more interesting from an ecological and botanical perspective than a gardening one. While it’s not problematic enough to avoid entirely, it’s also not compelling enough to actively cultivate. If it shows up in your wild areas naturally, you can let it be, but for intentional native plantings, you’ll find much better options that offer clearer benefits to your local ecosystem.
Remember, the best native garden is one filled with plants that are truly native to your specific region and provide documented benefits to local wildlife. When in doubt, consult with your local native plant society or extension office for the best choices for your area.
