Species Stinking Goosefoot
green leaves with white-green flowers and brown stems

Stinking Goosefoot

Chenopodium vulvaria

Stinking Goosefoot (Chenopodium vulvaria) is an annual herbaceous plant native to Europe, Asia, and North America. It is also commonly known as skunkweed due to its strong acrid odor. The plant typically grows to an average height of 30 to 80 cm tall, with smooth, erect stems and sparsely toothed, waxy green leaves. In the summer, clusters of small green flowers form atop the stems, followed by small pods filled with three-celled, green, nut-shaped seeds. Stinking Goosefoot has been used for centuries as a medicinal herb, tea, and even a dye. It is considered an invasive weed in some areas and is generally considered best to be avoided.

Watering:

Minimal

Propagation:

Seed Propagation,Division,Cutting,Layering Propagation

Hardiness Zone:

Sun:

full sun,part shade

Leaf:

Yes

Leaf Color:

green

Growth Rate:

Low

Drought Tolerant:

Yes

Salt Tolerant:

Yes

Invasive:

Yes

watering

Stinking Goosefoot should be watered when the top 2 inches of soil are dry. The amount of water to give will depend on the size of the plant and the type of soil. For smaller plants, roughly ½ to 1 cup of water per plant should be sufficient, given once a week. For larger plants, around 1 to 2 cups of water per plant should suffice, given once every 2 weeks. It is also important to consider the type of soil that the Stinking Goosefoot is planted in; sandy soils dry out quicker, so the plants will need to be watered more frequently than those planted in a soil with more clay.

sunlight

Stinking Goosefoot (Chenopodium vulvaria) requires full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight per day) for optimal growth. The plant is considered somewhat shade tolerant, and can thrive with 3-4 hours of direct sunlight per day. It is not recommended to grow this species in areas with less than 2 hours of direct sunlight per day. The light should be evenly distributed across the entire plant, as too much light concentrated in 1 spot can cause leaves to yellow or become sunburned.

pruning

Stinking Goosefoot (Chenopodium vulvaria) should be pruned after flowering is complete to create a vigorous and stiff-stemmed plant, about 4-5 inches in size. Cut back the tall flower stems to about 6 inches and remove any dead, diseased or damaged leaves. Pruning should be done during the autumn and late summer months to encourage a healthy, lush growth. Pruning may also be done in the spring when the new growth starts. Pruning should be done carefully to avoid injuring the plant's delicate stems. It is recommended to only prune lateral shoots, as pruning the main stem may reduce flowering the following season.