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Mexican-tea

Dysphania ambrosioides

Found in disturbed habitats; common, probably native southward. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

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Not native

Not native to Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 65%

Height
Up to about 5 feet
Light
Full sun
Soil moisture
Somewhat dry to moist

At a glance

Life cycle
Annual or perennial

Not yet recorded · Spread · Leaves · Bloom

This plant is missing most of its facts, so Quercus is looking them up in old botany books.

Recorded in 94 Virginia counties.

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 118 animals.

All wildlife of Virginia

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

37CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA

Genus host records with ranges including VA · Chenopodium

  • Achyra rantalisGarden Webworm Moth
  • Amyna strictaEight-Spot Moth
  • Anarta trifoliiThe Nutmeg, Clover Cutworm
  • Apantesis argeArge Tiger Moth
  • Apantesis naisNais Tiger Moth
  • Apantesis partheniceParthenice Tiger Moth
  • Apantesis virgoVirgin Tiger Moth
  • Autographa precationisCommon Looper Moth
  • Blepharomastix ranalisHollow-Spotted Blepharomastix Moth
  • Burnsius communisCommon Checkered-Skipper
Show all 37
  • Cenopis reticulatanaReticulated Fruitworm Moth
  • Chrysodeixis includensSoybean Looper Moth
  • Chrysoesthia lingulacellaSilver-Banded Moth
  • 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
  • Hyppa xylinoidesCommon Hyppa
  • Melanchra pictaPainted Arches, Zebra Caterpillar Moth
  • 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)
—BeesSoutheastern regional records
—Specialist 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

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 ambrosioides; Mexican Tea; goosefoot

Conservation status

Virginia rankSNA
Global rankGNR
VA statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

Native alternatives

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Sources