Lamb's Quarters
Parts Usually Used
Leaves
Description of Plant(s) and Culture
Lamb’s quarter is an erect, annual weed, 1-3 feet high; the stem often mealy, red-streaked. Leaves somewhat diamond-shaped, coarsely toothed; mealy white beneath. Flowers greenish-white, on densely flowered spikes, inconspicuous; in clusters; June to October.
Where Found
Found in gardens, fields, waste places. Throughout the United States.
Medicinal Properties
Stomachic, antiscorbutic
Biochemical Information
Phosphorus, iron, calcium, vitamins A, B2, Niacin, and C
Legends, Myths and Stories
This weed found in most gardens makes a good spinach substitute. The young tops are pinched off and steamed in a small amount of water. The nutritional value is greater than spinach, and the flavor is similar. Foliage and seeds are edible. Although discarded by most modern Americans, not so the Native Americans. Lamb’s Quarters are a favorite among and gathered by Navajos, the Pueblo Indians of New Mexico, all the tribes of Arizona, the Diggers of California, and the Utahs.
Boiled as an herb alone, or with other foods, large quantities are also eaten in the raw state.
Uses
Native Americans traditionally consumed the leaves in an effort to address stomachaches and prevent scurvy. Herbalists prepared a cold tea from the plant for diarrhea, and applied poultices made from the leaves to burns and swellings. Folk traditions also utilized the plant as a remedy for the skin condition vitiligo. Historical records noted the plant contained phosphorus, iron, calcium, niacin, and vitamins A, B2, and C.
Bibliography
, Loma Linda, CA 92354, Original copyright 1939, revised edition 1994 Chinese Medicinal Herbs , compiled by Shih-Chen Li, Georgetown Press, San Francisco, California, 1973. The Herbalist Almanac , by Clarence Meyer, Meyerbooks, publisher, PO Box 427, Glenwood, Illinois 60425, copyright 1988, fifth printing, 1994 The Herb Book , by John Lust, Bantam Books, 666 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY.
copyright 1974. Eastern/Central Medicinal Plants , by Steven Foster and James A. , 15 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10023 The Rodale Herb Book: How to Use, Grow, and Buy Nature’s Miracle Plants (An Organic gardening and farming book) , edited by William H. Hylton, Rodale Press, Inc. , 1974