Selected Plants of Navajo Rangelands

Diné bikéyah Chi’l nooséłígíí Bąąhą́ą́nosin

Take care of our Navajo Rangelands

Wormsweed

Tsé’ázhiíh

Upper portion of the plant, which contains multiple inflorescences and ovate, toothed leaves

H. Zell [GFDL or CC BY-SA 3.0], from Wikimedia Commons

Wormsweed is not native, but has become naturalized. It is commonly known as epazote, and it is used in Mexican, Central American, and South American cuisine. It grows in disturbed areas. The plant can grow to be four feet tall. The leaves vary in shape, from ovate to lancelike, and can have small to deep serrations on the leaf edges. The small green flowers occur in clusters, and later form red-brown seeds.

Forest & Kim Starr [CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Growth habit of a young plant with dark red central stem

Forest & Kim Starr [CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

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