Quail-Friendly Plants of the Midwest

Lambsquarters

• Chenopodium album

Forb

The main value of lambsquarters for quail is the brood cover provided by its upright growth and dense canopy.

Scott Sudkamp, Missouri Department of Conservation
 

Due to its upright growth structure and leafy canopy, lambsquarters' main benefit to bobwhites is brood habitat. It readily responds to disturbance. Leaves are triangular, with scalloped edges.

Scott Sudkamp, Missouri Department of Conservation

Numerous, rather nondescript flowers occur at the top of the plant.

Kevin Bradley, University of Missouri

Lambsquarters seeds are tiny, about 1 mm across. They are an occasional food source for quail. (scale divisions = 1 mm)

Fred Fishel, University of Missouri

Description

This species is commonly found in crop fields and other areas where the soil has been disturbed. It is rather nondescript. Leaves are triangular or kite-shaped, and their surfaces often have a powdery white appearance. Lambsquarters typically grows 2-6 feet tall.

Bloom period

May to October

Use by bobwhites

Lambsquarters' main value to quail is brood cover. It often occurs in dense stands on disturbed sites and has an open understory. Seeds are occasionally eaten as well, especially after snow has buried many other foods.