Amaranthus tricolor

How to grow Amaranthus tricolor growing and care:

Moist, rich soil, mulch, sometimes the plants need support of cane that the plant won’t fall

What is the best way to start growing:
Seedling / Seed (explanation below) / Cutting – cut stem in new growth, if there isn’t growth cut the top of the plant it will induce new growth, after the stem grow cut and put it in moist soil with high humidity care that the soil won’t dry, better not to do it when the plant is bloom and generally not a lot success

Is it necessary to graft or use vegetative reproduction?
No, better to grow from seeds

Difficulties/Problems with growing:
Aggressive, can be invasive

Planting season:
Spring, (in cold area better start growing indoor in the end of the winter than to transfer it outdoor after the last frost), when buy small plant in warm region possible to plant it in the summer

Pests and diseases:
Apids, prodenia, slugs

Pruning season:
Summer / Autumn, possible all year, better after the plant dead or in the spring before the flowers

How to prune:
Recommend to prune the flowers, usually not necessary to prune, but if needed that the plant will be small or more full of stems better to cut in the top of the plant in the spring after the plant establish, care when you prune not too much before flowers.

Size of the plant:
0.4-1 m, 16-40 inches

Growth speed in optimal condition:
Fast growing / Medium growing

Irrigation water management requirement:
Average amount of water

Light conditions in optimal condition for growing:
Full Sun, can be with less than full sun, it will affect the amount of flowers, although better to prune the colored leaves mostly grow next to the flowers

Is it possible to grow indoor as houseplant?
No

Growing is also possible in a pot / planter /flowerpot / containers:
Yes, when grow in container size better to be 5-8 liter (1.5-2 gallon), require average amount of water, it’s to keep the soil moist consider to put mulch and can reduce vaporization of the water, need to take care that the soil well ventilated with good drainage, rich with organic matter, can use in potting mix or peat soil with perlite or vermiculite.

Blooming information

When does flowers bloom?
Summer / Autumn

General information about the flower
Purple small flowers, inflorescence stalk

Thinning the bloom:
Possible to do that If you eat the leaves

Pollination is done by:
Bees

Edible leaves

When to harvest the edible leaves?
Spring, Summer, Autumn / in warm climate better to harvest in spring the leaves young and tender and the plant might bloom in the summer, in colder region better to start to harvest in the late spring after the plant establish until the end of the summer, sometimes possible in the autumn but better to harvest when the plant doesn’t bloom

How to harvest the leaves?
Cut the stems or just leaves from the base, better to cut the leaves when the leaves fully grown and young, the leaves softer and less fibrous

Information about leaves:
Oval, the leaves color can be: orange, yellow, red, purple, blue, pink

Uses of leaves:
Eaten raw, salad, stir fry, cooked

How to grow Amaranthus tricolor from seeds

Sowing requirement:
Rich soil, humidity, sunny location, and hot climate better not too much

Saving seeds until sowing:
Dry and dark location

Sowing season:
Spring after the last frost to early summer in hardiness zone 2-10a, in hardiness zone 10b+ can be planted all the year mostly germinate in spring or autumn but will looks less good in the winter and might won’t grow well

Planting spacing:
20*30cm (8-12 inches)

Depth of Sowing:
1-10mm

Conditions for seeds germinate:
Moist soil, full sun, warm weather

Watering requires for Seeds:
Average amount of water / Big amount of water

Germination time:
2 weeks to 12 month

Condition of seedling:
Water regularly and weed free

Varieties

Amaranthus tricolor perfecta – leaf color green with yellow, red and little black-purple spots

Yellow amaranthus – green with yellow leaves

Amaranthus tricolor red army – red with purple leaves

Amaranthus early splendor – pink leaves with red and dark purple

Amaranthus tricolor illumination – leaves color can be: yellow, orange-red, purple with green

Scientific name:

Amaranthus tricolor