Is lamb's-quarters safe to eat?

Yes, when correctly identified and harvested young, it is safe and nutritious. Always be 100% certain of identification to avoid poisonous look-alikes.

What does lamb's-quarters taste like?

It has a mild, slightly earthy flavour similar to spinach or chard, making it a good substitute in recipes.

Can I grow lamb's-quarters in my garden?

It's typically considered a weed that self-seeds abundantly. While you can allow it to grow, most gardeners actively try to control it, while foragers might encourage a patch.

Why is it called 'lamb's-quarters'?

The etymology is uncertain but may refer to the plant being ready to eat around Easter (Lamb-tide) or that it was a favoured food for lambs. 'Quarters' might refer to its habitat in disturbed ground or field 'quarters'.

lamb's-quarters

UK/ˈlæmzˌkwɔːtəz/US/ˈlæmzˌkwɔːrtərz/

Botanical, gardening, foraging, culinary (specialist); rare in general everyday conversation.

My Flashcards

Definition

Meaning

A common edible weed (Chenopodium album) with diamond-shaped leaves and a whitish coating, often foraged for food.

Any of several related plants in the genus Chenopodium considered weeds but edible when young; sometimes used as a wild spinach substitute.

Linguistics

Semantic Notes

Singular and plural forms often used interchangeably. Also known by the singular form 'lamb's-quarter'.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

The term is used in both varieties, but the spelling with a hyphen and apostrophe is most common. Alternative names vary regionally.

Connotations

In both, it connotes foraging, wild food, weeds, and simple, traditional or survival cuisine.

Frequency

Very low frequency in general discourse, but slightly more common in North American foraging and homesteading contexts than in the UK.

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong

forage for lamb's-quartersyoung lamb's-quartersedible lamb's-quartersharvest lamb's-quarters

medium

patch of lamb's-quarterswild lamb's-quarterscook lamb's-quartersidentify lamb's-quarters

weak

garden lamb's-quarterscommon lamb's-quartersfind lamb's-quarterssteamed lamb's-quarters

Grammar

Valency Patterns

forage for [lamb's-quarters]harvest [lamb's-quarters][lamb's-quarters] grows

Vocabulary

Synonyms

Strong

Chenopodium albumwhite goosefoot

Neutral

goosefootfat-henwild spinach

Weak

wild greenforaged greenpigweed

Vocabulary

Antonyms

cultivated spinachstore-bought greenshybrid vegetable

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

“[No common idioms directly associated with 'lamb's-quarters']”

Usage

Context Usage

Business

Not applicable.

Academic

Used in botanical, ecological, and ethnobotanical texts.

Everyday

Used in conversations about gardening, foraging, or wild edible plants.

Technical

Used as a common name for Chenopodium album in horticulture, weed science, and foraging guides.

Examples

By Part of Speech

verb

British English

We decided to lamb's-quarter the field edge for supper.
[Note: 'lamb's-quarters' is almost never verbed; primary use is noun.]

American English

We're going to forage lamb's-quarters this weekend.
[See note above.]

adverb

British English

[No established adverbial use]

American English

[No established adverbial use]

adjective

British English

The lamb's-quarters patch was thriving near the compost heap.
She made a lamb's-quarters quiche.

American English

The lamb's-quarters plants were ready to harvest.
He prefers a lamb's-quarters salad with vinaigrette.

Examples

By CEFR Level

I saw a green plant in the garden.
We eat spinach.

Some wild plants are good to eat.
People sometimes pick lamb's-quarters to cook like spinach.

Foragers prize young lamb's-quarters for their mild, spinach-like flavour.
The lamb's-quarters growing by the fence can be harvested before they flower.

Despite being considered a common weed, Chenopodium album, known as lamb's-quarters, is a highly nutritious and versatile edible wild plant.
Her research compared the nutritional profiles of cultivated spinach and foraged lamb's-quarters.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think of a lamb's portion of a field where it grazes – a 'quarter' of the pasture – where this common weed grows abundantly.

Conceptual Metaphor

WILD FOOD IS FREE SUSTENANCE; WEEDS ARE UNWANTED GUESTS.

Watch out

Common Pitfalls

Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)

Do not translate literally as 'четверть ягнёнка' or 'четверть барашка'. It is a plant name: 'марь белая' or 'лебеда'.

Common Mistakes

Misspelling as 'lambsquarters' (no apostrophe/hyphen), 'lamb quarters', or 'lambs quarters'. Incorrect pluralization: 'lamb's-quarter' (singular) used for plural.

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap

When foraging, ensure you correctly identify before consuming them, as some look-alike plants can be toxic.

Multiple Choice

What is the primary context in which the term 'lamb's-quarters' is used?

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

: Yes, when correctly identified and harvested young, it is safe and nutritious. Always be 100% certain of identification to avoid poisonous look-alikes.
: It has a mild, slightly earthy flavour similar to spinach or chard, making it a good substitute in recipes.
: It's typically considered a weed that self-seeds abundantly. While you can allow it to grow, most gardeners actively try to control it, while foragers might encourage a patch.
: The etymology is uncertain but may refer to the plant being ready to eat around Easter (Lamb-tide) or that it was a favoured food for lambs. 'Quarters' might refer to its habitat in disturbed ground or field 'quarters'.