Zschack’s Goosefoot: A Native Annual with Continental Reach
Meet Zschack’s goosefoot (Chenopodium berlandieri var. zschackii), a native annual that’s managed to establish itself across an impressively vast range of North America. While it might not be the showiest plant in your garden catalog, this humble forb has earned its place as a true continental native.
What Is Zschack’s Goosefoot?
Zschack’s goosefoot is an annual forb, meaning it’s a non-woody herbaceous plant that completes its entire life cycle in one growing season. As part of the broader Chenopodium berlandieri complex, it belongs to a group of plants that have been quietly thriving across North America for centuries.
This variety goes by several scientific names in botanical literature, including Chenopodium acerifolium, Chenopodium berlandieri var. farinosum, and others, which reflects the ongoing botanical work to understand the relationships within this plant group.
Where You’ll Find It Growing Wild
One of the most remarkable things about Zschack’s goosefoot is its incredible geographic range. This native species can be found from the Arctic territories of Alaska and Canada’s Yukon all the way down to Florida and across to California. It grows naturally in:
- All Canadian provinces from British Columbia to Quebec, plus the Northwest Territories and Yukon
- Alaska
- Most U.S. states from coast to coast, including Arizona, California, Florida, Maine, Texas, and Washington
This extensive distribution suggests that Zschack’s goosefoot is remarkably adaptable to different climate conditions and growing environments.
Should You Plant Zschack’s Goosefoot in Your Garden?
Here’s where things get a bit tricky. While Zschack’s goosefoot is undeniably native and widely distributed, there’s limited information available about its specific horticultural characteristics, growing requirements, or ornamental value. This isn’t necessarily a red flag—it simply means this variety hasn’t been widely studied or cultivated in garden settings.
What we do know is that as an annual forb, it would need to be replanted each year or allowed to self-seed. Its success across such diverse climates suggests it’s likely quite hardy and adaptable, but without specific growing information, it might be challenging for home gardeners to cultivate successfully.
The Reality for Home Gardeners
If you’re drawn to the idea of growing native plants (and who isn’t these days?), you might want to consider better-documented native alternatives that offer similar ecological benefits but with more available growing guidance. Many native plant nurseries and extension services can recommend well-researched native annuals that are appropriate for your specific region and garden conditions.
That said, if you’re an adventurous gardener who enjoys experimenting with lesser-known natives, and you happen to spot Zschack’s goosefoot growing wild in your area, you could try collecting seeds (where legally permitted) and experimenting with growing it in conditions similar to where you found it.
The Bottom Line
Zschack’s goosefoot represents the fascinating world of native plants that exist all around us, even if they’re not making it into garden catalogs. While it may not be the most practical choice for most home gardens due to limited cultivation information, it’s a reminder of the incredible diversity of native species that have adapted to thrive across our continent.
For most gardeners, focusing on well-documented native plants with known cultivation requirements and clear ecological benefits will likely be more rewarding. But for those interested in botanical exploration and native plant conservation, species like Zschack’s goosefoot represent the frontier of what we’re still learning about our native flora.
