Another Annual

The Amaranth is another good annual. It is also known as 'Globe Thistle". It has been grown for eons and the Aztecs used certain varieties for grain. You can still get Amaranth in health food stores.

It comes in a variety of colors ranging from white to pinks and lavenders to deep purple. I use only the purple for the same reason that I use on pink vinca . .I don't want uncomplementary color schemes. Each plant produces up to 60,000 seed. You can see why some parts of the world consider it a weed . . .but here in the southeastern United States, it is anything but a weed.

Amaranth makes a tremendous border or filler. I've never tried it in a container but I see no reason why it wouldn't work there especially as an accent. Again, its only requirement is full sun. It is drought tolerant . .but likes a good watering if things get too dry. Disease and insects don't attack this plant either! Deadheading is not required, but it blooms more prolifically if you keep the dead heads off on a fairly regular basis. Like the vinca that I spoke of in an earlier, it reseeds great. Toward the end of the growing season I'll let some seeds develop so that I'll have plenty of plants the next year.

The plant itself gets about 12" high and its growing habit is mounded. It is literally covered with these gorgeous purple, rounded (globe-shaped) blooms sitting high above the plant. And if you're interested in dried flowers, it's great for that as well.

At the beginniing of spring when it starts spouting I move the little plants to various locations where I need their color . .or sometimes I just thin the plants and let them grow in the same area for a couple of years (all plants do better if rotated periodically). They need to be spaced 8 to 10 inches apart for the best effect.

One package of seed purchased years ago has continuusly graced my summer gardens and satisfied my border/accent requirements.