Thanks to all our customers who visited our store during the past two weeks! My family and I appreciate your patronage.
Several customers have asked me questions about a particular flower I added to a few of our market bouquets. They have been remarking about amaranth.
Amaranth is a genus of plants, a few of which farmers raise for food or to use as ornamental plants. As food, farmers harvest this perennial as a cereal or a vegetable.
I’ve planted four varieties of amaranth this year: Hot Biscuits (Amaranthus cruentus), Green Tails (Amaranthus caudatus), Opopeo (Amaranthus hybridus), and Garnet Red (Amaranthus hypochondriacus).
Appearance-wise, clusters of copper flowers complimented by green leaves characterize Hot Biscuits; Green Tails possesses long, cascading plumes of pale yellowish green florets; Opopeo features maroon floral spikes offset by variegated maroon/emerald foliage; and my favorite, Garnet Red, reaching heights of 6 to 8 feet, has lush reddish magenta floral florets and edible emerald leaves.
Depending on the type of amaranth, these specimens work well as spillers and fillers in a “spiller-filler-thriller” combination and add color, texture, and movement to any arrangement. You can use large cuttings to produce a dramatic effect or small cuttings to add less intense color.
This year I’ve developed a much deeper love for amaranth. I adore looking out my kitchen window at our lower garden and watching petite birds, such as yellow finches, making these eight-foot tropical-looking trees their temporary homes while they eye other delectable seeds below in the garden.
