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Desert Goosefoot

Chenopodium pratericola

Found in sandy soils, roadsides, disturbed areas. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), South Central edition What its natural habitat tells you

51
Strong

Native to Alabama. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 94%

Height
6 inches–2.5 feet
Light
Partial shade, Full sun
Soil moisture
Dry to wet
Will it fit your yard?

At a glance

Life cycle
Annual
Bloom
May to November

Not yet recorded · Spread · Leaves

Recorded in 2 Alabama counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

All habitats

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

32CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including AL

Genus host records with ranges including AL · Chenopodium

  • Achyra rantalisGarden Webworm Moth
  • Amyna strictaEight-Spot Moth
  • Apantesis argeArge Tiger Moth
  • Apantesis naisNais Tiger Moth
  • Apantesis partheniceParthenice Tiger Moth
  • Autographa precationisCommon Looper Moth
  • Blepharomastix ranalisHollow-Spotted Blepharomastix Moth
  • Burnsius communisCommon Checkered-Skipper
  • Cenopis reticulatanaReticulated Fruitworm Moth
  • Chrysodeixis includensSoybean Looper Moth
Show all 32
  • Emmelina monodactylaMorning-Glory Plume Moth
  • Epiblema otiosanaBidens Borer Moth
  • Epiblema strenuanaRagweed Borer
  • Helicoverpa zeaCorn Earworm Moth
  • Herpetogramma bipunctalisSouthern Beet Webworm, Two-Spotted Herpetogramma
  • Hyles lineataWhite-Lined Sphinx
  • Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
  • Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
  • Papaipema nebrisStalk Borer
  • Pholisora catullusCommon Sootywing
  • Platynota stultanaOmnivorous Leafroller
  • Rachiplusia ouGray Looper
  • Spilosoma congruaAgreeable Tiger Moth
  • Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
  • Spodoptera eridaniaSouthern Armyworm Moth
  • Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth
  • Spodoptera ornithogalliYellow-Striped Armyworm Moth, Cotton Cutworm
  • Spoladea recurvalisHawaiian Beet Webworm
  • Staphylus hayhurstiiHayhurst's Scallopwing, Scalloped Sooty Wing, Scalloped Sootywing
  • Trichoplusia niNi Moth, Cabbage Looper Moth
  • Vanessa carduiPainted Lady, Cosmopolite
  • Virbia aurantiacaOrange Virbia, Orange Holomelina
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
0BeesSoutheastern regional records
0Specialist beesPollen specialists
24BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Chenopodium

  • Acanthis flammeaCommon Redpoll
  • Agelaius phoeniceusRed-winged Blackbird
  • Anthus rubescensAmerican Pipit
  • Aythya collarisRing-necked Duck
  • Calcarius lapponicusLapland Longspur
  • Calcarius ornatusChestnut-collared Longspur
  • Callipepla californicaCalifornia Quail
  • Callipepla gambeliiGambel's Quail
  • Euphagus cyanocephalusBrewer's Blackbird
  • Mareca americanaAmerican Wigeon
Show all 24
  • Meleagris gallopavoWild Turkey
  • Melospiza melodiaSong Sparrow
  • Melozone crissalisCalifornia Towhee
  • Molothrus aterBrown-headed Cowbird
  • Perdix perdixGray Partridge
  • Plectrophenax nivalisSnow Bunting
  • Pooecetes gramineusVesper Sparrow
  • Rallus limicolaVirginia Rail
  • Rhynchophanes mccowniiMcCown's Longspur
  • Spinus psaltriaLesser Goldfinch
  • Spizella breweriBrewer's Sparrow
  • Vireo flavifronsYellow-throated Vireo
  • Zenaida macrouraMourning Dove
  • Zonotrichia leucophrysWhite-crowned Sparrow
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Chenopodiaceae
Flower color
Green

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope
Also known as

Chenopodium desiccatum var. leptophylloides; Desert Goose Foot; Nettle Leaf Goose Foot; Nettle Leaf Goosefoot; Nettle Leaved Goose Foot; Nettle Leaved Goosefoot; Nettleleaf Goose Foot; Nettleleaf Goosefoot; Nettleleaved Goose Foot; Nettleleaved Goosefoot

Conservation status

Alabama rankSNA
Global rankG5
AL statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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Sources