# Amaranth (*Amaranthus retroflexus*)

Amaranth is a vibrant plant with colorful flowers that can be red, purple, or gold. It grows tall and strong in gardens and fields, adding beauty to the landscape.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Gardens, Fields
- **Also known as:** Pigweed, Redroot Pigweed, amaranths

![Amaranth](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Amaranthus_retroflexus_full1.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Lynk media, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Amaranthus_retroflexus_full1.jpg)

## Appearance

The Amaranth is a tall, upright plant with sturdy, often reddish stems and broad green leaves. Its small, greenish flowers are packed tightly into dense, bristly spikes at the top and in leaf axils, sometimes tinged with red.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Caryophyllales
- **Family:** Amaranthaceae
- **Genus:** Amaranthus

## Interesting facts

- Amaranth seeds are tiny but mighty, packed with more protein than most other grains!
- Ancient Aztecs relied on Amaranth as a super-grain, vital for their food and sacred rituals!
- The word 'Amaranth' means 'unfading' in Greek, for its long-lasting and vibrant flower clusters!
- This plant has a unique reddish taproot, giving it the common name 'Redroot Pigweed'!

## Special abilities

- **Seed Super-Producer:** Amaranth produces tens of thousands of tiny seeds per plant, helping it spread widely and survive even harsh conditions.
- **Drought Buster:** Amaranth can grow in dry, poor soils, a special ability that helps it thrive where many other plants struggle.
- **Rapid Growth Power:** Amaranth has incredibly fast growth, allowing it to quickly establish itself and outcompete other plants for vital resources.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-250 cm
- **Spread:** 30-100 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.1-0.3 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer_fall
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Annual
- **Pollination Method:** Wind

## Ecological connections

- **Eats:** [House Sparrow](https://www.snappit.app/explore/house-sparrow) (*Passer domesticus*) — Feeds on the numerous seeds.
- **Eats:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Browses on the young foliage.
- **Eats:** Cabbage Stem Flea Beetle (*Chaetocnema concinna*) — Larvae can tunnel into stems.

## Traits

- [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth.
- [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.
- [Nut Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nut-bearing): Nut bearing plants produce hard-shelled fruits, commonly known as nuts, which contain a single seed and are a valuable food source.
- [Grain Crop](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grain-crop): This human use trait denotes species cultivated as grain crops, harvested for their edible dry seeds (grains), which are a staple food source.
- [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
- [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period.
- [Ancient Lineage](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ancient-lineage): This trait signifies organisms belonging to a very old evolutionary group with ancestors dating back millions of years.

## Collections

- [Flowers](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/flowers)
- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Enjoy the beauty of amaranth from a distance and avoid picking or eating plants without an adult's permission.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Amaranth?

Count the petals where you can, then compare the flower's center, its symmetry, how the blooms are grouped and the leaves below. Color varies between garden varieties and shifts with the light. Flower Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Amaranth?

30-250 cm

### How wide does Amaranth spread?

30-100 cm

### How big are the flowers on Amaranth?

0.1-0.3 cm

### When does Amaranth bloom?

Summer_fall

### Is Amaranth edible?

Yes

### Is Amaranth toxic?

None

### What is Amaranth's lifecycle?

Annual

## Where to spot

- [Indian Creek Recreation Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/indian-creek-recreation-area) — South Dakota, US · Park

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Amaranth: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/amaranth)