Amaranthus blitoides
Procumbent pigweed, Procumbent Pigweed
(c) Sam Kieschnick, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Sam Kieschnick · licence
Family: Amaranthaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Amaranthus blitoides (Procumbent pigweed) is a native California herb in the Amaranthaceae family, recognized by . Key features: prostrate mat-forming habit, spoon-shaped leaves, smooth stems.
Procumbent pigweed is a native perennial found in California's Central Valley, western Mojave Desert, and Inyo Mountains in disturbed areas, roadsides, and agricultural fields at elevations below 2,500 meters. Flowering from July to November, this plant produces green flowers in small axillary clusters with leaf-like bracts. Growing as a prostrate, mat-forming plant with green or occasionally purple stems spreading 30 to 120 centimeters across, it forms dense ground cover in open areas. Its leaves are spoon-shaped to obovate, 10 to 30 millimeters long with wedge-shaped bases and rounded tips, growing on short 3 to 15 millimeter petioles. The plant produces small circumscissile fruits 2 to 2.5 millimeters long that are green to occasionally purple and slightly wrinkled near the tip.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 18 sympatric species. Key features: prostrate mat-forming habit, spoon-shaped leaves, smooth stems
Habitat and range
Habitat: Disturbed areas, roadsides, agricultural fields, sandy soils
Elevation: < 2500 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside, Alameda, Fresno, Orange, Tulare, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Stanislaus, Ventura, Inyo, Mono, Imperial, Kern, Sonoma, Modoc, Santa Clara, Siskiyou, Lake, Sutter, Monterey, Yolo, Colusa, Kings, Glenn, San Joaquin, Sacramento, Lassen, Shasta, Tuolumne, San Benito, Contra Costa, Butte, Tehama, Napa, Marin, Mariposa, Amador, Solano, Merced, Madera, Plumas, Santa Cruz
Outside California: to Washington, eastern United States, central and southern Europe
Bloom period
Amaranthus blitoides blooms Jul-Nov.
How to tell it apart
vs Celosia: Amaranthus has bristly flower spikes; Celosia has showy velvety flower plumes or crested combs.; vs Rumex: Amaranthus has dense bristly flower clusters; Rumex has flowers in whorls along stems with papery wings on fruits.; vs Salsola: Amaranthus has soft oval leaves and clustered flowers; Salsola has spine-tipped leaves and papery winged fruits.; vs Euphorbia: Amaranthus lacks milky sap and has separate male/female flowers; Euphorbia has milky sap and cup-like flower clusters.; vs Chenopodium: Amaranthus has bristly flower clusters; Chenopodium has mealy-coated leaves and flowers in loose balls.
Frequently asked questions
Is Amaranthus blitoides native to California?
Yes. Amaranthus blitoides is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Amaranthus blitoides bloom?
Amaranthus blitoides blooms Jul-Nov.
Where in California does Amaranthus blitoides grow?
Amaranthus blitoides occurs in San Bernardino, Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside, Alameda, Fresno, Orange, Tulare and other counties, at elevations of < 2500 m.
What plant family does Amaranthus blitoides belong to?
Amaranthus blitoides is in the Amaranthaceae family, genus Amaranthus.
What habitat does Amaranthus blitoides grow in?
Amaranthus blitoides grows in Disturbed areas, roadsides, agricultural fields, sandy soils.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.