Amaranthus spinosus
![](/Images/godic/202502/12/Amaranthus.spinosus1web2112.jpg")
![Phat phak khom is a Thai stir-fried dish of the young shoots of the Amaranthus spinosus. This version is stir-fried with egg and minced pork](/Images/godic/202502/12/Phat_phak_khom2112.jpg")
Amaranthus spinosus, commonly known as the spiny amaranth, spiny pigweed, prickly amaranth or thorny amaranth. It is native to the tropical Americas, but it is present on most continents as an introduced species and sometimes a noxious weed. It can be a serious weed of rice cultivation in Asia.