Prefers a hot sunny situation on a poor dry sandy soil. Plants are intolerant of root disturbance, they are best treated as half-hardy annuals and sown in situ.

Leaves and young shoots - raw, cooked or used as a garnish. The leaves contain oxalic acid and so some caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity. Seed - raw or ground into a meal. The seed can also be cooked as a piñole. The seed is very small and fiddly to harvest, especially since it ripens intermittently over a period of several weeks. However, it is rich in oil and was often collected in large quantities by native North American Indian tribes.

Seed - best sown in situ in spring since it strongly resents root disturbance. Germination usually takes place within 1 - 3 weeks at 20°c.

Open grassy places and cultivated fields.