I've grown two kinds of Amaranth and usually get a blue ribbon at the fair with my Love Lies Bleeding. I planted seed once many years ago and never have to replant because there's always some of the Love Lies Bleeding that comes up every year. I planted the kind that has the large Poinsettia type flower, too, and had a beautiful couple plants from that seed. It flowered with just the most beautiful bright red petals, and it got very tall and large. It does well here. I planted the tricolor amaranth, too, but it didn't get as large as the others. It was lovely, though, with the red, yellow and green leaves. I don't have a lot of room and my plants have to compete with all the tomatoes I plant. So if you have a lot of room and plenty of sunshine, you'll get some awesome specimens. Good luck!

Thanks for the info., Just wondering about the Amaranths cause I just bought 1 pound of whole grain Amaranth seed from are local Health store.(The seed does Germinate) Thinking about planting this Grain Amaranth type. I have 5 seed packets of the Love Lies Bleeding seed I got a few weeks ago for 50c a pack, I'm going o plant them too......... I hear that people eat Amaranth leaves, I never tryed it, they say it tastes like spinach. Seeing that it sounds like here in WI. Amaranth grows good, I'll be growing a bunch this 2009 growing season & see how they do. "Thanks for the Info."

A pound of seed! I have been growing the crop kind for the last few years.
I was growing it as a purple leaf amaranthus without a formal name.
It was more intensely purple that the variety 'Intense purple'. It looks like the type grown for crops. I grow it as an ornamental.

I have never eaten it. I pull it out before the seeds are mature, so I yanked them when they flowered. Every single one will come up next year and it got labor intensive weeding them out. So word of warning. You will have it coming out your ears if you let all that go to seed. I'm guessing one plant can generate 1/4 cup of seeds.
Karen

Do any of you have photos of your Amaranth plants w/blooms?
I have something that comes up every year in one of my gardens, and I can't identify it. The seed must've come along with the mulch.

It's very late right now, but I'll see if I can post a picture of mine tomorrow to see if any of you can identify it.

Julie

Here's my unknown annual. It blooms late summer, into fall. This was taken mid-October. Could it be a purple Amaranth?
It reseeds every year, gets tall, about 3 feet, but so far has not become invasive.
{{gwi:1353640}}

Julie

Julie,

that looks to me like a lovely annual called celosia 'Flamingo feather'

thompsonmorgan sell it. Maybe you can google an image.

Thanks, Karen, I bet you're right.
I googled and found several pics, some with thinner foliage than in my photo, but a few with similar purple foliage.

Thanks so much for your reply!

Julie

I grew amaranth as a seed crop one year, only about 10 plants. Ridiculously easy. When I guessed the most seed was ripe on a stalk, I cut it and let it dry in a paper bag. Then shook the seed out, and poured the seed out of the bag. I popped the seed in a fry pan, similar to popcorn, except it doesn't fly all over. Be careful because it burns easily.

How good of ground does it grow in???

I've grown burgundy amaranth in Racine County for several years. I think I got the seed from Seeds of Change. It grows about 6' and is really gorgeous (esp. interplanted with sunflowers). I've tried harvesting seed, but find it very tedious. Those seeds are teeny tiny. The young leaves are good in salad.

Can I throw Amaranth seed in the ground right now??

My amaranth re-seeds most every year, so I'd guess you could put some seeds in the ground now.

maderb,

My amaranth is the standard (Amaranthus caudatus), Love Lies Bleeding. They seem to grow just about anywhere, sun, partial shade, good garden soil, clay.

Just picked up Seed Packet of The (Oscar Blanco) Amaranth from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. Going to try growing that this year + the Arrowhead Mills (health Store) grain Amaranth. I did a gremination test on the Healthstore grain Amaranth & it was pretty good!!! So I'm curious to findout what kind/type of Amaranth Arrowhead Mills uses. Going to keep the Amaranths serperated, don't want to cross the two, cause i want to save seed from the kind I like best.......... My ground here is very sandy, but I mixed in ALOT of old Cow & Horse manure compost. Amaranth is suposse to grow like crazy with good ground from what I've been reading. I plan in watering it when it needs it. Curious as to what the leaves tastes like in salads or cooked.

My neighbor's purple Amaranth was gorgeous and tall last year, and he gave me some seeds. I potted them in early May, and it's been over a month and they are only 1/2" tall. There are a few green shoots that are 2-3", but it's the purple I'm hoping to grow. It was a cold and rainy May and early June, but they were in full sun. They all (lots of baby seedlings) look healthy, but aren't growing! Should I fertilize them? Any ideas or help? Thanks

What we need is some summer! My (reseeding) amaranth are just tiny red seedlings now. But I know by July or August (if we ever do get some heat), they'll be 4' tall.

I bought Amaranth Molten Fire seeds (from Livingstone Seed Co.) and the photo on the pack looks exactly like what I want. I started them in pots, and got a ton of seedlings which I thinned. A few green seedlings got tall the fastest, and I planted them -- they're doing well. Now I see that the reddish/purple seedlings are getting big enough to plant, but I'm out of space to put them. Did I make a mistake planting the green ones? Will they ever produce the brilliant red color I want? Maybe just the purple seedlings will result in that? If so, I'll pull out the green ones and put in the purple ones. I hope someone can confirm if the heartier green sprouts I planted will turn red by the end-of-summer. Thanka