Weeds

This hand-held guide provides information on how to identify and differentiate common pigweed species in Maryland including: Palmer amaranth, Spiny amaranth, waterhemp, and redroot/smooth pigweed. Authors: Kurt Vollmer and Ben Beale; Title: A Guide for Identifying Pigweed Species Commonly Found in Maryland (EB-2023-0654)

Pigweeds are annual weeds that can cause significant problems for Maryland farmers. Palmer amaranth and waterhemp are two pigweeds that are especially troublesome, and have been designated as noxious weeds by the Maryland Department of Agriculture. Therefore, it is required that these two species be actively managed to prevent their spread and resulting negative impacts on Maryland agriculture. To the untrained eye, Palmer amaranth and waterhemp can appear similar to each other and to other pigweed species. However they can be easily distinguished from one another by looking at some key botanical characteristics. Becoming familiar with these species allows for earlier detection, and as a result, improved management practices. Authors: Kurt Vollmer, Ph.D., and Ben Beale; Title: Keys to Identifying Palmer Amaranth and Waterhemp (FS-2023-0653)