Huauzontle

Chenopodium berlandieri subsp. nuttalliae

An Aztec crop and cousin to quinoa: green seed heads, battered and fried around cheese.

Type: herb or perennial · annual vegetables, herbs and grains
Hardiness: zones 3 to 11
Light: full sun
Size: about 5 ft tall, 2 ft wide
Harvest: June to September
From: Central Mexico
Here: Hardy in the Lake Erie shore climate (zone 6b to 7a), so it can live outdoors in the ground.

Good for: food.

Native to: Mexico, Central America & the Caribbean. Hardy in zones 3 to 11.

The story

Huauzontle was one of the grains Aztec farmers paid in tribute, alongside maize and amaranth. It is a goosefoot, cousin to quinoa and to the lamb's quarters weeding itself into your beds, but grown for its seed heads, picked while still green.

Planting

Sow after the last frost in full sun and ordinary soil. Thin to a foot apart.

Growing

Water regularly. Stake tall plants in windy gardens. It is quick: about three months from seed.

Harvest and use

Cut the budding seed heads while green and tender. The classic dish presses them around a piece of cheese, dips them in egg batter and fries them, served in tomato-chile sauce. Young leaves cook like spinach.

What to watch for

Leaf miners. It crosses with wild lamb's quarters, so save seed from isolated plants.

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More annual vegetables, herbs and grains

General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home