Chenopodium dessicatum (Entire-leafed Goosefoot, Aridland Goosefoot)

Description

Native reseeding annual has metallic sheen to leaves and unusual shaped fruits. In the same family as Quinoa, Spinach, Chard, Huazontle, and Beets; both the leaves and seeds are edible for humans. Birds love the seeds too.  Chenopodium sps. (Goosefoots) are the larval host of two butterflies Common Sootywing and Hayhurst Scallopwing. Many moths also raise their young on Goosefoots, making them great hunting grounds for mama birds.

Chenopodium dessicatum mainly occurs in the arid west.  SC is the only state on the Atlantic Coast where it has been documented. It is very rare in our state, previously known only from Berkeley Co. We propagated our plants from a undocumented native population in a in Charleston County salt marsh. Tolerates aridity, salinity, high winds and high calcium.  Plant it where seeds can fall on bare garden, to help prevent it from disappearing from our area.

https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=CHDE

images here http://www.casasarroyo.org/flowers/goosefoot/Slimlambsqtrs.html