Purple amaranth, Red amaranth
Amaranthus cruentus

Family: Amaranthaceae

What it is like

An annual erect plant. It grows to 2 m high. The stems are angular. It often branches in the upper section. It is smooth but may be hairy on younger plant parts. The young parts can be tinged purple. The leaves are oval to sword shaped and can be 10-15 cm long by 3-6 cm wide. They have a leaf stalk 1-7.5 cm long. The leaves often narrow towards the tip. They can also become thinner towards the base. There may be hairs on the midrib. The leaf may be tinged purple underneath. The flowers clusters are often branched and on side branches. The stiff branched flower arrangement at the top can be 15-25 cm long. The fruit is oval and the seed can be 1-1.3 mm across. The seed is dark brown but pale brown forms are used as grain in Central America.

Seed (Fresh weight) Protein: 15 %. There are about 60 Amaranthus species. It can help control nematode populations. It is a C4 plant.

Where it is found

It grows in the tropics and more temperate regions. In the tropics it is mainly in the highlands. In Papua New Guinea it grows best between 1,200 and 2,200 m altitude. It needs a night temperature above 15°C and preferably a day temperatures above 25°C. It is best in fertile, well drained soil. In Argentina it grows between sea level and 1,000 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zones 8-11. In Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Balkans, Benin, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Caucasus, Central Africa, Central America, Central Asia, Chad, Chile, China, Congo DR, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Dominican Republic, East Africa, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Europe, Fiji, Gabon, Georgia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinée, Guyana, Haiti, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Kenya, Korea, Laos, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico (country/location of origin), Mozambique, Nigeria, North America, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Uganda, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Turkey, Türkiye, Uganda, USA, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The leaves and young plant are eaten cooked. They are also dried and stored. The seeds are ground into flour and used to make bread. The seeds are popped and used to prepare candy. CAUTION: This plant can accumulate nitrates if grown with high nitrogen inorganic fertilisers and these are poisonous. The leaves can only be stored for 2-4 days.

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. It is an important and popular leafy green.

Edible parts

Seeds, leaves, vegetable, flowers

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seed if the soil is warm. Seeds are small and grow easily. They can be put in a nursery and then transplanted after 2-3 weeks. Cuttings of growing plants root easily.

Yields of 800-1500 kg per hectare are achieved. Plants can be harvested by pulling up the entire plant or by removing leaves over several harvests.

Its other names

Local names

Adjogodo, Alayyafu, Alefo, Ama, Anapatsa mena, Bathu, Bee kumpeeyu, Bionuda, Biteku teku, Bitembele, Boroboro, Chaulai, Chekoi, Dodo, Doodo, Efan, Efo tete, Fotete, Gango, Grain amaranth, Grins, Hancai, Han ts'oi, Hondi, Inca wheat, Inene, Kaky mena, Ka-bonthila, Kitembele, Lalchulai, Lengalenga, Madze, Mangara kunge, Marsa, Mbwembo, Mitembele, Moca, Monzonda, Muotsu, Ngwengu, Nut keerai, Omujuiga, Phak khom daeng, Phatakshii, Quelite blanco, Rajgira, Rajira, Rana-tampala, Rau den, Red shank, Seul, Sobue, Soman we, Swie, Tandulga, Tete, Tetefufu, Tete nla, Thepe, Trator, Tseque, Tshiubavhakololo, Ts'iteli jijlaq'a, Tubua

Synonyms

Amaranthus hybridus subsp. cruentus (L.) Thell.; Amaranthus paniculatus L.; and several others