Note the white waxy-fuzz near the stem tips. That's naturally occurring and not a mealy bug infestation. 
Note what's growing around the specimen and the area, it's a dry sandy slope between access roads that isn't irrigated.
Common Name: Fig-Leaved Goosefoot
Other Common Names: Figleaf Goosefoot
Botanical Family: Amaranthaeae (The Amaranth Family)
Botanical Latin Name: Chenopodium ficifolium
Description & Habitat: This plant is a non-native warm-season annual from Eurasia that has naturalized in North America. It is commonly found in sites with disturbed soil and thus may be found besides roads, highways, paths, and any construction site. The seeds of this plant can persist in the soil for years and it grows rapidly forming a dense roughly ‘flame’ shaped bush that on average is about three feet tall. Figleaf Goose foot is often mistaken at a glance for Lamb’s Quarters and they are both Chenopods but a close examination of the leaves will reveal that Figleaf Goosefoot has noticeably different foliage. Your first identification feature is to note that some of this plant’s leaves will be tri-lobed and narrow and resemble the three-toed arrangement of a goose’s foot. Alternately leaves may have three lobes and are arrayed like the leaves of figs (Ficus). Often you will see a mix of the aforementioned foliage traits in a single given leaf with a scalloped leaf margin that can be a bit undulating. All foliage will have degree of whiteish waxy coating which is most visible near the stems and growing tips.
A botanical Latin synonym for this plant is Chenopodium serotinum.
When & What to Harvest: Ideally you want to harvest younger softer greens in bulk along with flowers since cooking will diminish the amount you have in the pot. Late spring and summer are the best times to find and harvest from this plant. The seeds of this plant can be collected, roasted and eaten or roasted and ground into a flour substitute.
Dangerous Lookalikes: None that I know of.
Related Useful Species: (Wild)
North American Lamb’s Quarters (Chenopodium berlandieri), European Lamb’s Quarters (C. album), Fremont’s Lamb’s Quarters (C. fremontii), Pigweed (Amaranth retroflexus), Green Pigweed (A. hybridus), Livid Amaranth (A. blitum) Slender Amaranth (A. viridus), and a few others.
Related Useful Species: (Cultivated)
Spinach (Spinacia oleracea), Callaloo (Amaranthus viridis), Epazote (Dysphania ambrosioides), Orach (Atriplex hortensis), Strawberry Blite (Blitum capitatum), Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa), Blood amaranth (A. cruentus), Love lies bleeding (A. caudatus), and Prince’s-Feather (A. hypochondriacus), Cock’s Comb (A. cristata), Joseph’s Coat (A. tricolor), Dragon’s Breath Celosia (Celosa argentea).
Recipe: In general the same recipes apply to this plant as do with Lamb’s Quarters with the exception that I strongly recommend cooking the greens and flowers you harvest. Boil the young foliage in a small amount of water for about five minutes or until fork-tender. Add butter, salt, pepper. Alternately you can make a sauce for the greens that is made of ¼ cup of diced onion, several slices of bacon that has been crumbed or smoked ham jowls that have been sliced finely. Add ¼ cup of vinegar salt and pepper and simmer gently for about five to ten minutes or until the sauce thickens. Apply the sauce to the greens as one might do with salad dressing on a salad.
Additional Information: (If applicable)
With all that garden goodness covered this is the part of the blog where I have to advertise for the Fayetteville City Market. Now I know you readers probably don’t much like advertisements, but my booth at the City Market helps to cover the costs of running the test garden and literally maintains the Research & Development budget that is used to bring you the information that has made up the backbone of this blog. In addition to being able to process card payments we now take CashApp payments so your payment options for my product have tripled. With that said; if you want to get some GMO-free, Organic fruit, herbs, flowers and perennials, come on down to the Fayetteville City Market on 325 Maxwell Street in downtown Fayetteville between the hours of 9:00 am and 1:00 pm on Saturdays. Even in bad weather the market goes on though you might have to look for me under the ‘arches’ of the Transportation Museum’s front entryway.
For those of you wondering what plants are going to be at the market this weekend here is the list.
Fresh Foods:
Soup Kit – Parsnip
Soup Kit – Turnip
Garlic Bulbs
Soil Amendment Products:
Live Mushroom Compost – 18 Gallon Tote*
Live Mushroom Compost – 3 Gallon Bag
Live Mushroom Compost – 1 Gallon Bag
Sandhills Mushroom Farms – Lion’s Mane Tincture Sample size (New!)
Sandhills Mushroom Farms – Lion’s Mane Tincture
Sandhills Mushroom Farms – Turkey Tail Tincture
Sandhills Mushroom Farms – Blue Oyster Mushroom Grow Kit (New!)
Garden Plants, Fall Foods:
Arugula, Astro
Cabbage, Pac Choi ‘Rosie’
Collards, Green Glaze
Kale, Prizm
Kale, Redbor
Sorrel, Raspberry Dressing
Coming Soon:
TBA!
*The 18 gallon tote is by special order only and is delivered to any address within the Fayetteville city area.
How to stay in Contact with Us!
Our group’s online presence has migrated to Nextdoor.com. All you need to keep up with all our activities is to have a Nextdoor account and to look for the ‘Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville’ group and ask to join! You don’t have to live in Fayetteville to join us! Feel free to ask all your garden questions of our knowledgeable membership and post your cool garden pictures.
Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville
Also please take a gander at the YouTube version of this blog:
The Videos: Look Here
>Newest videos (1): Canna Lily ‘Australia’
Meetings are still going on! Our next (unofficial) meeting is September 28th at the Fayetteville City Market at 325 Franklin Street between 9:00 am and 1:00 pm.
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