Red Goosefoot

Chenopodium rubrum

Physical Characteristics

Chenopodium rubrum is a ANNUAL growing to 0.6 m (2ft) by 0.3 m (1ft in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 4. It is in flower from July to October, and the seeds ripen from August to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Wind. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.

Distribution

Most of Europe, including Britain, east to central Asia. Also in N. America..

Habitats

Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves Seed Edible Uses: Leaves - raw or cooked as a spinach[12, 46, 61, 74, 105, 177, 183]. The raw leaves should only be eaten in small quantities, see the notes above on toxicity. Seed - ground into a powder and used with cereal flours to make bread, cakes etc[105, 161, 177, 183]. The seed is small and fiddly, it should be soaked in water overnight and thoroughly rinsed before it is used in order to remove any saponins. Leaves are harsh, acrid, and rarely worthwhile. Seeds are abundant, pleasant, nutritious, and comparable to quinoa and other superior wild chenopod grains. A strong seed species and a weak leaf species.. Edible Uses & Rating: Red goosefoot provides edible leaves and seeds, though only the seeds are of high value. Leaves, even when young, tend to be acrid, mineral-heavy, and only marginally serviceable as a boiled green. Seeds, however, are excellent—nutritious, abundant, and comparable to quinoa and the best chenopods such as pitseed and slimleaf goosefoot. Red goosefoot earns a low rating for leaves but a high rating for seeds, placing it solidly among the dependable wild grains of the Great Basin and western deserts [2-3]. Taste, Processing & Kitchen Notes: Leaves are frequently unpalatable. They often taste harsh, saline, and acrid, with no meaningful improvement from boiling. Texturally, they become mushy when cooked, compounding their limited culinary appeal. Their use should be considered only in survival contexts. Seeds, however, are very pleasant. When toasted, they develop a mild nutty aroma with a flavour nearly identical to quinoa. Boiling yields a soft, porridge-like texture suitable for both sweet and savoury preparations. Because the pericarp is thin and calyx remnants detach easily, seeds are simple to clean. To enhance flavour, many foragers use a combination of toasting followed by boiling to create a richer, more complex meal [2-3]. Seasonality (Phenology): Red goosefoot germinates in late spring as soils warm, producing lush vegetative growth through early summer. Flowering typically occurs mid-summer, with seed maturation from late summer into autumn. In saline or wetland margins, the species may persist longer into autumn than upland chenopods. Seeds remain attached well after the plant dries, allowing harvest into early winter [2-3]. Safety & Cautions (Food Use): As with all goosefoots, leaves contain oxalates and saponins; red goosefoot leaves are particularly harsh and should be consumed sparingly, if at all, even when boiled. Seeds are safe when cooked but should not be eaten in large quantities raw. Foraging in saline environments requires ensuring soils are not contaminated by industrial runoff or agricultural chemicals [2-3]. Harvest & Processing Workflow: Harvest seeds by stripping dry inflorescences into a bucket or onto a cloth once the plant turns red-brown and brittle. Winnow or sieve to remove debris. Seeds may then be toasted, boiled, or ground into flour. Because the species matures over a broad window, multiple harvests from the same stand are often feasible. Leaves are not recommended for culinary use but may be gathered very young if necessary and boiled thoroughly. Cultivar / Selection Notes: No cultivars exist. Seed size and pigmentation vary among populations, but all known forms exhibit similar culinary performance. Look-Alikes & Confusion Risks: Red goosefoot may resemble young Chenopodium album or C. berlandieri, but its deeply toothed leaves, smooth surfaces, and strong red pigmentation in mature plants distinguish it reliably. Its affinity for saline or wet soils is also characteristic. It should not be confused with the strongly scented Dysphania species, which are resinous and glandular rather than smooth and leathery. Traditional / Indigenous Use Summary: The Goshiute Indians of Utah and Nevada used red goosefoot seeds as porridge and likely incorporated them into broader seasonal seed-gathering traditions. While documentation is limited compared to other species, its ecological abundance and high seed quality indicate that it contributed meaningfully to traditional subsistence strategies in the Great Basin and interior West. Leaves appear to have had little or no traditional use.

Medicinal Uses

None known

Known Hazards

The leaves and seeds of all members of this genus are more or less edible. However, many of the species in this genus contain saponins, though usually in quantities too small to do any harm. Although toxic, saponins are poorly absorbed by the body and most pass straight through without any problem. They are also broken down to a large extent in the cooking process. Saponins are found in many foods, such as some beans. Saponins are much more toxic to some creatures, such as fish, and hunting tribes have traditionally put large quantities of them in streams, lakes etc in order to stupefy or kill the fish[K]. The plants also contain some oxalic acid, which in large quantities can lock up some of the nutrients in the food. However, even considering this, they are very nutritious vegetables in reasonable quantities. Cooking the plants will reduce their content of oxalic acid. People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones or hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet since it can aggravate their condition[238].