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As of February 2017, Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) had been found in 49 of Iowa’s 99 counties.  A native of the American southwest, Palmer amaranth is more competitive than common waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus), a pigweed native to Iowa.  These two species are two of the most troublesome for corn and soybean farmers.  Both species are known for fast development of herbicide resistance, incredible seed production on female plants (>500,000 seeds possible), and prolonged emergence.

After a busy week at a meeting in Michigan, Virgil Schmitt and I visited the Muscatine County farmer with Palmer amaranth to assess the population.