Wormseed

Wormseed, scientifically known as Chenopodium ambrosioides anthelminticum, is a perennial plant that can also grow as an annual, known for its light and aromatic qualities. Native to regions in South America, including Argentina and Brazil, it has spread to parts of Central America such as Belize and Bolivia. This plant thrives in moist conditions with soil types ranging from light (sandy) to heavy (clay), showing a preference for a pH between 7 and 7.5. Wormseed is valued both for its edible leaves and seeds, which can be used in culinary applications, and for its medicinal properties, particularly as an anthelmintic. The plant reaches a height of up to 1 meter and is propagated by direct seeding outdoors, with seedlings thinned to about 15 cm apart. In terms of cultivation, Wormseed thrives in light to medium soils and prefers a slightly alkaline pH of 7-7.5. It is hardy in temperate regions but can grow as an annual or perennial depending on conditions. Plant seeds directly outdoors after the last frost, spacing them about 15 cm apart. The plant requires moist soil and partial to full sun, with watering needs moderate due to its moisture preference. Harvest leaves and seeds for use. Traditional use notes suggest that Wormseed appears in herbal sources around after-meal comfort traditions, often as a tea. PlantSage presents this as ethnobotanical context, not as medical advice.