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Danger: Plant has spines or sharp edges; use extreme caution when handling
Bloom Color: White/Near White
Bloom Time: Late Spring/Early Summer Mid Summer Late Summer/Early Fall
Foliage: Herbaceous Smooth-Textured
Other details: May be a noxious weed or invasive This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater Self-sows freely; deadhead if you do not want volunteer seedlings next season
Soil pH requirements: 6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic) 6.6 to 7.5 (neutral) 7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline)
Patent Information: Non-patented
Propagation Methods: From seed; direct sow outdoors in fall From seed; sow indoors before last frost From seed; direct sow after last frost
Seed Collecting: Bag seedheads to capture ripening seed Collect seedhead/pod when flowers fade; allow to dry
I HATE this plant! It's the worst pain in the crotch to pull and deal with. It comes up, and doesn't stop. Constant weeding and weed whacking only lets sunlight reach young seedlings, and rebursts with new growth. A small puncture wound results in a deep splinter like pain for days. The only cool thing I could think would come out of this is if it hybridizes with my love lies bleeding. I would love to grow it even though it's invasive. I'd deal with the thorns then.
On Feb 24, 2009, Zeppy from Shenandoah Valley, VA (Zone 6b) wrote:
Sooo.... this plant loves compact soil, loose fertile soil, any soil. And it's a complete thug. Contact with its bejillion thorns is initially painful and later makes a deep ache at the tiny puncture site. My chickens won't even step near it, so they won't eat it, and it sets seedheads even when it's half an inch out of the ground, once the temp reaches over 80 or so. VERY invasive, very nasty, and its sap even has an ugly smell.
Simply: there are MUCH nicer amaranths out there that are also edible, beneficial and nutritious.
On Aug 25, 2007, Lamiaceae from Granville, OH (Zone 6a) wrote:
Native to tropical regions of the New World, Amaranthus spinosus is now an introduced weed in many areas far outside its original range. It isn't as common as its relative A. hybridus here in the Midwest. A leafy, many-branched plant, often with reddish stems, and pairs of sharp spines at the stem nodes. The leaves are edible and nutritious. The seeds are probably edible like other Amaranthus, but are small and very difficult to remove from the fruit, making harvest impractical.
On Nov 12, 2003, Michaelp from Orange Springs, FL (Zone 8b) wrote:
This has the same uses as common Amaranth but the thorns are very sharp and leaf collecting for food or medicine should be done carefully. It is still tasty as a cooked green.
Regional...
This plant has been said to grow in the following regions:
Bartow, Florida Benton, Kentucky Granville, Ohio Weyers Cave, Virginia
One vendor has this plant for sale.
