Blitum nuttallianum
Nuttall's poverty weed
(c) Martin Purdy, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Amaranthaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Blitum nuttallianum (Nuttall's poverty weed) is a native California herb in the Amaranthaceae family.
Nuttall's poverty weed is a California native annual found throughout California except the northwest, growing in generally moist, often alkaline clay soils in disturbed areas below 3,700 meters. Flowering from April to September, it has prostrate to ascending stems with fleshy, lanceolate leaves and dense clusters of 5 or more small flowers, each with a single membranous sepal and single stamen.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species; key differentiators are leaf toothing, size, and elevation range
Habitat and range
Habitat: Generally moist, +- alkaline clay soils in disturbed areas
Elevation: < 3700 m
California counties: San Diego, Santa Barbara, Fresno, San Bernardino, Kern, Imperial, Mono, Riverside, Los Angeles, Nevada, Tulare, San Luis Obispo, Inyo, San Joaquin, San Benito, Monterey, Orange, Alameda, Modoc, Ventura, Tuolumne, Siskiyou, Plumas, Butte, Lassen, Sierra, Shasta, Alpine, Placer, El Dorado, Glenn, Santa Clara, Contra Costa, Kings, Santa Cruz, Mariposa
Outside California: to Alaska, central North America, northern Mexico
Bloom period
Blitum nuttallianum blooms Apr--Sep.
How to tell it apart
vs Bassia: Monolepis has dense axillary clusters; Bassia develops distinctive hooked spines in fruit.; vs Beta: Monolepis is small with tiny axillary clusters; Beta is robust with large leaves.; vs Dysphania: Monolepis lacks sticky glands; Dysphania is glandular-sticky and aromatic.; vs Chenopodium: Monolepis has 4-15 flowers per cluster; Chenopodium has more diffuse branched flower clusters.; vs Corispermum: Monolepis has axillary flower clusters; Corispermum has terminal spikes with linear leaves.
Frequently asked questions
Is Blitum nuttallianum native to California?
Yes. Blitum nuttallianum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Blitum nuttallianum bloom?
Blitum nuttallianum blooms Apr--Sep.
Where in California does Blitum nuttallianum grow?
Blitum nuttallianum occurs in San Diego, Santa Barbara, Fresno, San Bernardino, Kern, Imperial, Mono, Riverside and other counties, at elevations of < 3700 m.
What plant family does Blitum nuttallianum belong to?
Blitum nuttallianum is in the Amaranthaceae family, genus Blitum.
What habitat does Blitum nuttallianum grow in?
Blitum nuttallianum grows in Generally moist, +- alkaline clay soils in disturbed areas.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-08
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.