Skip to main content

Carelessweed

Amaranthus palmeri

Last reviewed: August 2026

Carelessweed (Amaranthus palmeri)
Photo: Patrick Alexander from Las Cruces, NM / Wikimedia Commons (CC0)

Toxicity unknown

Carelessweed (Amaranthus palmeri) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.

Light

full sun

Water

low

Size

12"–72" H × 12"–36" W

Bloom

Jul, Aug, Sep

Native to

AZ, CA, NM, NV and 1 more states

Before you buy

Your city may pay you to plant this

Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 452 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.

Find rebates in your area

Browse plants for this ecoregion

Central California Foothills and Coastal MountainsCentral California ValleySouthern California MountainsCentral Basin and RangeMojave Basin and RangeNorth American DesertsArizona/New Mexico MountainsChihuahuan DesertsHigh PlainsSouthwestern TablelandsCentral Great PlainsCross TimbersEdwards PlateauSouthern Texas PlainsTexas Blackland PrairiesEast Central Texas PlainsWestern Gulf Coastal PlainSouth Central PlainsMadrean ArchipelagoSonoran Basin and RangeSouthern California/Northern Baja Coast

Carelessweed is a tall annual plant that can grow up to 6 feet high with a somewhat coarse appearance. It produces small greenish flowers in dense clusters during summer and fall months. This plant is drought-tolerant and thrives in full sun conditions.

In an HOA neighborhood

Carelessweed takes more care to keep looking intentional in a front yard. Maintenance level: high. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

  • Classified as a noxious weed
  • Extremely weedy appearance
  • Can become invasively large and unsightly

Wildlife value

The dense flower clusters provide seeds for birds, particularly goldfinches and other seed-eating species. The plant can serve as a host for some butterfly caterpillars.

Common questions

How much sun does Carelessweed need?
Carelessweed grows best in full sun conditions.
When does Carelessweed bloom?
Carelessweed blooms in July, August, and September.
Where is Carelessweed native?
Carelessweed (Amaranthus palmeri) is native to AZ, CA, NM, NV and 1 more states, per vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists.
Is Carelessweed HOA-friendly?
Carelessweed takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.

If something looks wrong

Common plant problems, and what to check first

These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.

See all plant problem guides

Ready to grow Carelessweed? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.

Add this plant to your garden
iPhone appAndroid app

Planning a bed around it? Start a free plan with this plant

Not sure where to start? Take the 2-minute yard quiz