Amaranthus cruentus
Days to Maturity: 30 (edible leaves), 50 (flower), 100 (seed)
A mixture of white, orange and red amaranths cultivated for edible grain. Seedheads grow to an impressive 1-2 feet in length, bursting with grains! Amaranth is a dual-purpose food: Seeds are delicious cooked as porridge or popped as cereal and made into snack bars; leaves and stems are earthy and nutritious cooked or eaten raw in salads. Regionally-adapted to Colorado/Four Corners.
Planting Instructions: Plant Culinary Amaranth seeds directly in ground after last frost. Keep moist until germinated. Thin to 2 feet apart. Highly drought tolerant. In many warmer climates, amaranth will return year after year so plant where you don't mind it returning!
Seed Saving Instructions: When seed is mature it will easily fall into a bucket when stems are shaken. Clip entire seedhead into bucket and stomp to dislodge seed, or shake while still on plant. Store seeds in a paper or mesh bag in a cool, dark and dry location.
Approx 250 Amaranth seeds per packet