Purple Pigweed

Amaranthus blitum

Leaves: Distinctive, wedge-shaped base with a deeply notched tip, often with a single stiff leaf hair.

Stems: Smooth, green to whitish, many branched.

Height: 3 to 4 feet tall, erect or semi-prostrate.

Flowers: Plants bear both male and female flowers on terminal flowerheads and at the base of leaves. Flowers July to Octobber. Seeds are small (1 mm), black, smooth and shiny.

Herbicide resistances in US: WSSA Groups 2, 5

purple amaranth leaves — Purple amaranth leaves

Images above: Purple amaranth has distinctive leaves with wedge-shaped base (left) and a deeply notched tip, often with a single stiff leaf hair (right).

purple amaranth flowers — Purple amaranth flowers

Images above: Purple amaranth stems are smooth, green to white and many branched (left). Plants bear both male and female flowers on terminal flowerheads and at the base of leaves (right).

Images above: Purple amaranth in bean field (left) and infesting a landscape planting (right).