Amaranthus

love-lies bleeding Amaranthus

Amaranthus is a short-lived frost-tender plant that’s both ornamental and edible.

An upright annual with ovate mid-green leaves and attractive deep red branched flower spikes over the summer months. Popular with flower arrangers and for summer bedding and easy to grow,

Amaranthus looks dramatic and immensely showy with enormous tassel-like crimson, purple or green flowers, or brilliantly coloured foliage

Classification

  • Common Names: love-lies bleeding Amaranthus

  • Family:

  • Variety: Cruentus; caudatus

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Amaranthus in full bloom

Propagation Notes

  • Plant Type: annual

  • Propagation: Seed

  • Hardiness: Tender H7 - H10 (+0)

  • Flowering Season: Summer to autumn

Red .5-1m Full sun It is best to sow grain Amaranths just beneath the soil surface in the spring, after the last frost. Use a spacing of 20 to 30 cm (8 to 12 inches) for smaller species and up to 50 cm (20 inches) apart for larger species Amaranthus Plants prefer partly shady to full sunlight conditions.

Sow under glass grow in loam-based compost (JI No2) in full light. Suggested planting locations and garden types. Cottage and informal garden. Pests. May be susceptible to aphids. Diseases. May be susceptible to a virus.

2024-10-05: The amanthus from the seed packets foun its way into the garden and is looking beautiful, at least those that survived the slug onslaught. There was even a few that has grown from the seed in the compost, some of these plants grew on in situ and is also such a lovely display in late summer.

2024-03-08: Sow seed from RHS in pods

2024-01-23: Seed from RHS received for variety caudatus

2023-10-16: The Amaranthus turned out to be a real stunning plant giving deep red shows and food for birds and insects deep into autumn. Died down during winter.

2023-07-02: Planted out the Amaranthus into the garden. They where very leggy due to the extended time in greenhouse. However, they seem to be really strong plants.

2023-04-15: 10 pods of amaranthus germinated, ready to be potted on

2023-04-02: Sow amaranthus in pods

2023-03-01: sow Amaranthus