Ataco
Amaranthus quitensis
Family: Amaranthaceae
What it is like
Amaranthus quitensis is a ANNUAL growing to 1 m (3ft 3in). It is frost tender. The species is monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and is pollinated by Wind. The plant is self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 1
Where it is found
An infrequent casual of waste ground in Britain, introduced with bird seed, soya-bean waste etc. It rarely, if ever, sets seed in Britain.
S. America - Andes. A rare casual in Europe.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 2
A red edible dye is obtained from the inflorescence, it is used in S. America for colouring ceremonial maize dishes. Leaves - cooked. Used as a potherb. Seed - ground into a powder and used as a flour. The seed can be cooked whole, and becomes very gelatinous like this, but it is rather difficult to crush all of the small seeds in the mouth and thus some of the seed will pass right through the digestive system without being assimilated.
Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.
Colouring: edible dyes
Medicine
Rating: 0
Other
Rating:
Yellow and green dyes can be obtained from the whole plant.
Dye: Plants that provide dyes.
Dynamic accumulator: Plants that gather minerals or nutrients from the soil and store them in a more bioavailable form and in high concentration in their tissues. Used as fertilizer or to improve mulch.
How it is grown
We have very little information on this species and do not know how well it will grow in Britain, but it will probably succeed as a spring-sown annual. It is occasionally cultivated in S. America, mainly for the edible dye obtained from its inflorescence. The plant is also of interest as a probable ancestor of A. caudatus, which is cultivated as a grain crop in S. America. This species could be of value in any breeding programmes. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. Prefers a well-drained fertile soil in a sunny position. Requires a hot sheltered position if it is to do well. Plants should not be given inorganic fertilizers, see notes above on toxicity. Most if not all members of this genus photosynthesize by a more efficient method than most plants. Called the 'C4 carbon-fixation pathway', this process is particularly efficient at high temperatures, in bright sunlight and under dry conditions.
Propagating it: Seed - sow late spring in situ. An earlier sowing can be made in a greenhouse and the plants put out after the last expected frosts. Germination is usually rapid and good if the soil is warm. A drop in temperature overnight aids germination. Cuttings of growing plants root easily.
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Annual
Hardiness:
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Moist
Things to keep in mind
No members of this genus are known to be poisonous, but when grown on nitrogen-rich soils they are known to concentrate nitrates in the leaves. This is especially noticeable on land where chemical fertilizers are used. Nitrates are implicated in stomach cancers, blue babies and some other health problems. It is inadvisable, therefore, to eat this plant if it is grown inorganically.