Chenopodium fremontii
Fremont's goosefoot
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Family: Chenopodiaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Chenopodium fremontii (Fremont's goosefoot) is a native California herb in the Chenopodiaceae family, recognized by shade-tolerant native with thin, lobed leaves and forest habitat.
Fremont's goosefoot is a California native annual found in the Sierra Nevada, Transverse Ranges, Peninsular Ranges, Great Basin, and Desert Mountains in shaded places, scrub, and conifer forest at elevations of 700 to 3,100 meters. Flowering from June to October, this plant produces small green flowers in dense axillary and terminal spikes. Growing with branched stems 10 to 70 centimeters tall, it spreads widely from its base with multiple branches. Its thin leaves are broadly triangular to ovate, typically 0.5 to 2.5 centimeters long, with 1 to 2 spreading lobes near the base and a truncate to rounded base. The distinctive black, slightly warty seeds are horizontally positioned with ridged margins, creating a unique square cross-section.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 28 sympatric species - shade-tolerant native with thin, lobed leaves and forest habitat
Habitat and range
Habitat: Generally shaded places, scrub, conifer forest
Elevation: 700-3100 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Fresno, Tulare, Santa Barbara, Inyo, Modoc, Ventura, San Diego, Riverside, Mono, Kern, Alpine, Lassen, Tuolumne, Siskiyou, Stanislaus, Nevada
Outside California: to eastern North America, northern Mexico
Bloom period
Chenopodium fremontii blooms Jun-Oct.
How to tell it apart
vs Chenopodiastrum: Chenopodium has mealy coating; Chenopodiastrum is smooth to slightly hairy without mealy texture.; vs Atriplex: Chenopodium has perfect flowers; Atriplex has separate male/female flowers with paired bracts on fruits.; vs Blitum: Chenopodium has dry fruits; Blitum has fleshy, berry-like fruiting calyxes.; vs Amaranthus: Chenopodium has mealy coating; Amaranthus is smooth with dense bristly flower spikes.; vs Rumex: Chenopodium has 5-parted flowers in clusters; Rumex has 6-parted flowers in whorls.
Frequently asked questions
Is Chenopodium fremontii native to California?
Yes. Chenopodium fremontii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Chenopodium fremontii bloom?
Chenopodium fremontii blooms Jun-Oct.
Where in California does Chenopodium fremontii grow?
Chenopodium fremontii occurs in San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Fresno, Tulare, Santa Barbara, Inyo, Modoc, Ventura and other counties, at elevations of 700-3100 m.
What plant family does Chenopodium fremontii belong to?
Chenopodium fremontii is in the Chenopodiaceae family, genus Chenopodium.
What habitat does Chenopodium fremontii grow in?
Chenopodium fremontii grows in Generally shaded places, scrub, conifer forest.
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.