Amaranth

Colorful Combinations

Call on amaranth to add interest to containers and garden beds. Plants grow 2–8 feet tall and spread 1–3 feet wide, depending on the type. Be sure to give them plenty of space to expand as the season progresses. The plants will take off and grow quickly as soon as daytime temperatures regularly reach 70°F.

For a bold display of color and texture, plant amaranth with cannas, celosia, and annual salvia. Or add it to a large container with calibrachoa, employing it as a focal point. Amaranth is a great planting solution for full-sun locations that need a big splash of color. Even though this plant loves to soak up the sun, it doesn’t tolerate drought well, so plant it where you can easily water it.

Amaranth Care Must-Knows

If you are unable to find amaranth at the garden center as a transplant, start it from seed inside about 8 weeks before your area’s last frost. After the chance of frost has passed, plant it outside in full sun in moist, well-drained soil. Bright sunlight is essential for this plant to thrive; it will produce fewer flowers and weak stems when planted in shade.

Love-lies-bleeding (Amaranthus caudatus) often needs staking when its long flower stalks develop. Sink a 4-foot-tall stake into the soil near the base of the plant at planting time. As the plant grows, loosely tie its stem to the stake. Joseph’s coat (Amaranthus tricolor) usually stands boldly upright on its own.

Snip and Dry

Love-lies-bleeding is an everlasting flower. Its flowers turn a warm shade of bronze after the stems dry. To harvest stems for drying, cut young, fresh flower stalks. Tie two or three stems together and hang them in a dark, airy, dry place. The stems will dry in about one month and can be added to dried flower arrangements.

Favorite Varieties

‘Fat Spike’ has thick ropes of deep red-purple flowers above green foliage and grows 3–4 feet tall. ‘Viridis’ has electric green flower stalks on 3- to 4-foot-tall plants. ‘Golden Giant’ has yellow flower stalks that can grow 6-8 feet tall, making it one of the tallest varieties. Search reputable online retailers for more unique varieties of bold summer annuals.

Amaranth Companion Plants

Celosia

There are few flowers as showy as celosia. Whether you plant the plumed type, which produces striking upright spires, or the crested type, which has a fascinating twisted form, you’ll love using celosia in bouquets. The flowers are beautiful fresh, but they also dry well. They bloom in all the colors of a glowing sunset. Plant established seedlings in spring after all danger of frost has passed. Celosia likes rich, well-drained soil with moderate water. Spider mites can sometimes be a problem in hot, dry weather.

Mexican Sunflower

Attract butterflies and have fun doing it with big, bold, beautiful Mexican sunflower. Sow seeds directly in the ground and watch it soar. It can hit up to 5 feet in just weeks with big, lush foliage and small but showy flowers in sunset colors that butterflies love. Put a cluster of these bodacious beauties in the back of the border to give it height and drama. Many of the taller types need staking to keep them upright. Plant them outdoors after all danger of frost has passed in a sunny spot with well-drained soil.

Annual Sunflower

Big, beautiful, and old-fashioned, sunflowers suit most gardens. Plant breeders have been hard at work producing a wide variety, from those that grow 12 feet tall to compact selections that stand only 3 feet tall. The color range is wide, too, with almost every shade of yellow, orange, and red.