Spleen Amaranth
Amaranthus dubius
Family: Amaranthaceae
What it is like
Amaranthus dubius is a ANNUAL growing to 1 m (3ft 3in). It is frost tender. It is in leaf from April to October, in flower from July to September, and the seeds ripen from August to October. 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
Naturalised in Florida where it grows in waste places and disturbed habitats at elevations of 0 - 100 metres.
Tropics areas of South America and West Indies. Naturalized in Europe, Asia and N. America..
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 2
Leaves - cooked. Used as a potherb, they are considered to be very palatable. Seed - cooked. Rather small, but very nutritious, it can be ground and used as a powder. 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.
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 but it should succeed as a spring-sown annual in Britain. It is very closely related to A. spinosus. This species most probably originated as a result of ancient hybridization between A. spinosus and either A. hybridus or A. quitensis. It is sometimes cultivated in tropical areas for its edible leaves, there are some named varieties. The cultivar 'Claroen' is considered to be one of the best cultivars. 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.