Amaranthus tricolor L.

Annual herb, ascending or erect, attaining ± 1.25 m. in cultivation in Africa (even more in tropical Asia).. Stem stout, usually much branched, it and the branches angular, glabrous or furnished in the upper parts with sparse (or denser in the inflorescence) ± crisped hairs.. Leaves glabrous, or thinly pilose on lower surface of primary nervation, green or purplish-suffused, very variable in size, long-petiolate (up to ± 8 cm.) lamina broadly ovate, rhomboid-ovate or broadly elliptic to lanceolate-oblong, emarginate to obtuse or acute at the apex, at the base shortly cuneate to attenuate, decurrent along the petiole.. Flowers green to crimson, in ± globose clusters ± 4–25 mm. in diameter, all or only the lower axillary and distant, the upper sometimes without subtending leaves and increasingly approximate to form a thick terminal spike of variable length, ♂ and ♀ flowers intermixed.. Bracts and bracteoles broadly ovate or deltoid-ovate; bracteoles subequalling or shorter than the perianth, pale and membranous, broadest near the base and gradually narrowed upwards to the green midrib which is excurrent to form a long pale-tipped awn usually at least half as long as the basal portion and not rarely equalling it.. Perianth-segments 3, elliptic or oblong-elliptic, 3–5 mm. long, narrowed above, pale and membranous, the green midrib excurrent into a long pale-tipped awn, those of the ♀ flowers slightly accrescent in fruit.. Stigmas 3, erect or recurved, ± 2 mm.. Capsule ovoid-urceolate with a short beak below the style-base, 2.25–2.75 mm., circumscissile, membranous, obscurely wrinkled.. Seed 1–1 5 mm., black or brown, shining, very faintly reticulate.. Fig. 4/6.

A tropical and subtropical plant. It grows in many tropical and warm temperate places. Plants grow wild in waste places. Amaranths grow from sea level to 2400 m altitude in the equatorial tropics. It prefers well drained soils. It needs a sunny position to yield well. For amaranth seeds to germinate they need a temperature above 15°-17°C. In the higher areas of the equatorial highlands above 1800 m., temperatures on the average are probably below this during the cooler months. It may be more difficult to get amaranths started during these months. It can grow in arid places. It suits hardiness zones 8-11. In Yunnan.

Uses. Cultivated green-leaved forms very frequently eaten by Europeans and non-Europeans as a substitute for spinach. Variegated-leaved forms sometimes kept in gardens as ornamentals.

The very small seeds of these plants are scattered over the ashes or fine soil in fertile ground. The seed are normally spread by rubbing the dry seed heads between the hands. Some types are self sown. These plants grow in most tropical countries. The soil must be fertile. If they are put in an old garden they will only grow very poorly. So they are either put in a new garden site when it is cleared from bush, or in build up the old ground by adding compost. The small gardens close to a house can often be built up to a good fertility by using the scraps and ashes and things that are left over near houses. Amaranths need high amounts of two nutrients, nitrogen and potash. The ashes from fires are high in potash so farmers scatter seeds of amaranth over areas where they have burnt. Amaranths are tropical plants grown in most tropical countries. Normally the hotter it is the better they grow. They also like plenty of sunlight and do not suit shaded places. The more sunlight the better they grow. They need to have water most of the time they are growing. In areas with a high rainfall this is mostly not a big problem.