Dysphania atriplicifolia
Winged pigweed, tumble ringwing
(c) Nathan Aaron, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Amaranthaceae · Type: Herb · Not Native
Dysphania atriplicifolia (Winged pigweed, tumble ringwing) is a non-native California herb in the Amaranthaceae family, recognized by Non-glandular, shaggy-hairy tumbleweed annual with wavy-dentate leaves; the other CA Dysphania are glandular/aromatic.
Winged pigweed is a non-native annual found in the Great Valley, southern South Coast, western Peninsular Ranges, and Desert Mojave bioregions in fields and disturbed, generally sandy areas below 1,250 meters. Flowering from May to September, it grows as a many-branched, rounded plant 12 to 75 centimeters tall with spreading, finely hairy stems and wavy-dentate lanceolate to ovate leaves. Its small flowers develop into round-winged fruits about 2 millimeters wide.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Non-glandular, shaggy-hairy tumbleweed annual with wavy-dentate leaves; the other CA Dysphania are glandular/aromatic.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Fields, disturbed areas, generally sandy
Elevation: < 1250 m
California counties: San Diego, Merced, San Bernardino, San Joaquin, Orange, Riverside, Los Angeles, Yolo, Sutter, Colusa, Butte, Glenn, Tehama, Calaveras, Monterey
Outside California: Canada to northern Mexico; native to central North America
Bloom period
Dysphania atriplicifolia blooms May--Sep.
How to tell it apart
vs Artemisia: Dysphania has sticky glandular hairs; Artemisia has fine silky or woolly hairs.; vs Amaranthus: Dysphania is sticky-glandular; Amaranthus is smooth with dense flower spikes.; vs Erigeron: Dysphania has tiny greenish clustered flowers; Erigeron has obvious ray flowers.; vs Baccharis: Dysphania is herbaceous annual; Baccharis is woody shrub.; vs Ambrosia: Dysphania has sticky leaves; Ambrosia has divided leaves without sticky glands.
Frequently asked questions
Is Dysphania atriplicifolia native to California?
No. Dysphania atriplicifolia is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Dysphania atriplicifolia bloom?
Dysphania atriplicifolia blooms May--Sep.
Where in California does Dysphania atriplicifolia grow?
Dysphania atriplicifolia occurs in San Diego, Merced, San Bernardino, San Joaquin, Orange, Riverside, Los Angeles, Yolo and other counties, at elevations of < 1250 m.
What plant family does Dysphania atriplicifolia belong to?
Dysphania atriplicifolia is in the Amaranthaceae family, genus Dysphania.
What habitat does Dysphania atriplicifolia grow in?
Dysphania atriplicifolia grows in Fields, disturbed areas, generally sandy.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Dysphania botrys — Jerusalem oak
- Dysphania chilensis
- Dysphania multifida — Cut leaved goosefoot
- Dysphania pumilio — Tasmanian goosefoot
- Dysphania sp. — Mexican tea
- Dysphania ambrosioides — Mexican tea
- Guilleminea densa var. aggregata — Small matweed
- Guilleminea sp.
- Nitrophila mohavensis — Amargosa nitrophila
- Nitrophila occidentalis — Boraxweed
Sources: Jepson eFlora · 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.