Redroot pigweed
Amaranthus retroflexus, Amaranthus spp.
- Plant type
- forb (annual)
- Settings
- Disturbed ground
- Risk
- Moderate risk Our rating from the cited sources.
- Review
- Not yet reviewed by a veterinarian.
Photos
Planned.
How to tell it
No source data yet.
Look-alikes: Planned.
What to do on a site walk
- Limit time.
- Dilute with other forage.
- Test after drought or frost.
Why it matters
- Toxic principle
- Nitrate; soluble oxalates
- Toxic parts
- Leaves and stems
- Basis for our rating
- Chewgrass rating. ARS lists pigweed among nitrate accumulators; Langston lists it among plants that harm goat kidneys.
Signs in goats
Nitrate: blue-gray gums, labored breathing, staggering, chocolate-brown blood, sudden death (ARS). Oxalate: kidney damage (Langston).
If you think an animal has been poisoned, call your vet right away.
Season
Nitrate rises after drought, frost or herbicide (2,4-D) spraying and is highest in stems and leaves in cool early mornings (ARS, Langston).
Sources
- USDA ARS Poisonous Plant Research Lab: Nitrate Accumulating Plants
- Second source (poisonousplants.ansci.cornell.edu)
Links last checked: 2026-10-31