Wild Amaranth, Strawberry Spinach
Amaranthus blitum
Family: Amaranthaceae
What it is like
An annual plant up to 1 m high. The leaf stalk is slender. The leaves are oval and 1-6 cm long. There are prominent veins under the leaf. The male and female flowers are separate but on the same plant. They are in a spike at the top of the plant. The male and female flowers are mixed. The flowers are green. The seeds are round and 1-1.8 mm across. They are dark brown to black.
The leaves contain about 3.88% protein, 1.1% fat, 9.38% carbohydrate, 3.2% ash, 323 mg Ca, 8.3mg Fe, they are very rich in Vitamins A & C, rich in vitamin B1. There are about 60 Amaranthus species. J. D. Hooker (1885) was apparently the first to unite A. blitum L. and A. lividus L., two names of equal priority, and he selected A. blitum
Where it is found
It grows in both temperate and tropical zones. It grows well with temperatures above 25°C. In Indonesia it grows from the lowlands to about 2,000 m above sea level. In Argentina it grows up to 500 m above sea level.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Albania, Algeria, Andamans, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Austria, Balkans, Bangladesh, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Caribbean, Central Africa, Central Asia, China, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Czech Republic, Dominica, East Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Europe, France, Gambia, Ghana, Greece, Guiana, Guianas, Guinea, Guinée, Guyana, Himalayas, Hungary, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan, Kenya, Laos, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mediterranean, Middle East, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Nigeria, Norfolk Island, North Africa, Northeastern India, Pakistan, Portugal, Rwanda, SE Asia, Senegal, Sikkim, Southern Africa, South America, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Africa, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe
How it is used for food
The leaves and young plant are eaten cooked. The seeds are ground into flour and used to make bread. CAUTION: This plant can accumulate nitrates if grown with high nitrogen inorganic fertilisers and these are poisonous. An edible dye is obtained from the seed capsules.
It is sold in local markets.
Edible parts
Leaves, seeds, vegetable
How it is grown
Plants can be grown from seed if the soil is warm. Seeds are small and grow easily. They can be transplanted. Cuttings of growing plants root easily. The seed needs to be near the soil surface.
Its other names
Local names
Alap marisha, Annass, Berry-bearing Orache, Blet, Buuza, Chesicheyet, Chooti, Chulai, Ebbuga ergayanamusayi, Gana, Jia gai hen, Khudi aadar arxa, Khudi bhaji, Klaroen, Knoteshak, Krakroen, Krassi-wiwiri, Ladah Laskavec hrubozel, Liwoola, Lude sag, Omuriri, Mo tuo qi pu, Nbola, Pa hong kei, Purple Amaranth, Ranta durja, Sada natya, Tandulja, Ukdi bhaja, Van natya
Synonyms
Albersia arenaria Schur.; Albersia ascendens Fourr.; Albersia blitum Kunth; Albersia livida Kunth; Amaranthus albus Rodschied ex F. Dietr.; Amaranthus alius K. Krause; Amaranthus ascendens Loisel.; Amaranthus berchtoldii Seidl ex Opiz; Amaranthus blitonius St.-Lag; Amaranthus blitum var. ascendens (Loisel) DC.; Amaranthus blitum var. oleraceus (L.) Hook. f.; Amaranthus blitum var. polygonoides Moq.; Amaranthus blitum subsp. polygonoides (Zoll. ex Moq.) Carretero; Amaranthus diffusus Dulac. Amaranthus gangeticus Wall. Invalid; Amaranthus graecizans var. blitum (L.) Kuntze; Amaranthus lividus Hook. f. Illeg.; Amaranthus lividus var. ascendens (Loisel) Hayw. & Druce; Amaranthus lividus subsp. ascendens (Loisel.) Heukels; Amaranthus minor Gray; Amaranthus mucronatus Poir.; Amaranthus oleraceus Rodschied; Amaranthus pallidus M. Bieb.; Amaranthus polygonoides Zoll. ex Moq.; Amaranthus prostratus T. Bastard Illegit.; Amaranthus ruderalis Koch ex Moq.; Amaranthus tenuiflorus Fisch. ex Moq.; Amaranthus tenuifolius Roxb.; Amaranthus viridis All. Illegit.; Blitum majus Scop.; Euxolus alius (E. H. L. Krause) E. H. L. Krause; Euxolus ascendens (Loisel.) H. Hara; Euxolus viridis var. ascendens (Loisel.) Moq.; Glomeraria blitum (L.) Cav.; Pyxidium graecizans Moq.;