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Amaranthus tricolor |
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| Synonym(s) |
Amaranthus gangeticus |
| Common name |
elephant head amaranth |
| Family |
amaranthaceae |
| Life cycle |
annual |
| Flowers |
deep purple (summer) |
| Size |
2-3' |
| Light |
sun-part shade |
| Cultural notes |
ordinary garden soil |
From seed  |
Germinate at room temperature. Reseeds reliably in our garden, close to the mother plant.
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| Seed ripens | mid-October |
We always allow a few of these to grow to their full (largish) size in our garden - self-seeding usually produces more than we need, but extras are easy to cull. Some specimens really do look like elephant heads, with raised trunks.
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This plant used to grow in our garden, but it slipped away... About my plant portraits
PlantLinks to other web pages about Amaranthus tricolor
Visitors to this page have left the following comments| Liz | Apr 28, 2008 | this is red spinach,right??
I don't think so. More likely, you're thinking of red orach (Atriplex hortensis). |
| listenstohorses2000 | Apr 29, 2008 | I just got some seed for this and plan to try to grow a bit. I wonder, with what plants do I plant this? All my beds are companion. |
| Dennis Dorney | Oct 17, 2008 | I have inherited an envelope of Amaranthus gangeticus (50g of it!). I can only assume that such a quantity was intended to be dug into the soil as a soil enhancer(or maybe for composting)but I cant see any reference to this plant being suitable for that purpose. Have you a suggestion?
I've no idea, Dennis. Amaranth is used as a grain in some cultures, but I don't know if that goes for A. gangeticus. Perhaps your predecessor just collected a bunch of seeds to share? |
| Alex S. | May 11, 2009 | Listen to horses asks what to grow this with; I use sunflowers and elephant heads as a "fence" around the south side of my house, beautiful contrast.
Liz asks if this is red spinach, although your answer is right, it's leaves are often sold as red spinach, and are delicious steamed (the younger ones anyway). |
| Bill | Jul 03, 2010 | Hi, rob. I have similar plants here in Hollister, CA that spontaneously popped up (probably reseeding from prior plantings by our renter). They are 24"-36" high, have very purplish leaves (largest 9" long, 4" wide), the stem is purple and square, and looks like a terminal infloresence is forming. Is all this indicative of this species? They would make a great backround plant. |
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