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Amarante Douteuse

Amaranthus tricolor (am-a-RAN-thus TRY-col-or)

Family: Amaranthaceae Non-native Herbaceous (3-15 ft)

Amaranthus tricolor is an annual plant known for its brightly colored foliage rather than its flowers. This plant is grown as an edible crop in some parts of the world. The genus name comes from the Greek word amarantos meaning unfading in reference to the long-lasting flowers of some species. Specific epithet means three-colored. Soil : Moist Space : 12-24 inches Season : spring to fall Issues : subject to root rot if kept too moist; over-fertilization may cause dulling of foliage color Light : Although it can take full sun, Amaranthus tricolor needs late afternoon shade.

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 43 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Fills a similar niche Canna Itea virginica 'Henry' s Garnet' Verbena canadensis

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Annual; Edible
Life cycle
Annual
USDA zones
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 6 in. - 5 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Gold/Yellow; Green; Pink; Purple/Lavender; Red/Burgundy; Variegated
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Ovate
Leaf margin
Entire; Undulate
Leaf value
Edible; Showy
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
This annual plant is known for its brightly colored foliage rather than its flowers. Leaves come in a variety of interesting, attractive, and multi-colored foliage (of green, purple, yellow, gold, red, pink, and copper).
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Green; Insignificant
Flower form
Spike
Flower detail
Small flower spikes are in leaf axis.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit type
Achene
Stem color
Gold/Yellow; Green; Purple/Lavender; Red/Burgundy
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Tropical Asia
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Leaves; Seeds
Fruit type
Achene

Edibility

Seeds, leaves

Uses (ethnobotany)

Grain crop, leaf vegetable

Landscape Use
Landscape theme
Drought Tolerant Garden
Garden tags
#heat tolerant #showy leaves #drought tolerant #purple #full sun tolerant #gold leaves #pink leaves #deciduous #red leaves #low maintenance #gold #yellow leaves #purple leaves #copper leaves #afternoon shade #edible garden #fall interest #spring interest #summer flowers #pink flowers #partial shade tolerant #annual #variegated #poor soil tolerant
Problems & Resistance
Insect problems
Aphids Found on Flowers and Foliage
Disease problems
Phytophthora Blight and Root Rot on Annuals and Herbaceous Perennials
Resistant to
Drought; Heat; Poor Soil
Particularly resistant to
Heat, drought, poor soil
Propagation
Seed

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.