Amaranthus caudatus
Min Qty: 1 g
Description: Amaranth was an important foodsource in MesoAmerica. 4-6' high plants with showy 1-2' burgundy tassels that mature to provide black seeds still used by the Hopi to make red corn bread. Young leaves make great, colorful additions to salads. Reddest variety of amaranth is easy to grow.
Planting Instructions: 21 days for greens, 70 days to flower, 110 days to seed. Sow seeds 1/8-1/4" deep, roughly 8-10 seeds per foot in well-prepared soil after the danger of frost has passed and the soil has warmed up. Prefers full sun. Keep soil moist during germination. Thin seedlings to 8-12" apart. To determine when the seeds are ready to harvest, rub the flower heads briskly between your hands; the seeds should fall out. Cut the flower heads and havest the seeds over a large container; carefully thresh to remove the chaff.