Best time to plant amaranth in Australia
Amaranthus species
Depending on the species, amaranth is grown as a leafy green, a grain or an ornamental. The listed Amaranthus tricolor is a leaf type with green, red or multicoloured foliage, cooked like spinach since the leaves hold oxalates. Taller grain types carry dense flower plumes and can reach about 2.5 metres.
On a shared plot: suits a plot
Finishes in a season and stays within its space, so it suits most plots.
When to sow
| Zone | Months | How well checked |
|---|---|---|
| Cool | Sep to Nov | Not yet checked against a local guide |
| Temperate | Aug to Mar | Not yet checked against a local guide |
| Subtropical | Aug to Apr | Broadly matches local guides, with some differences |
| Tropical | Mar to Aug | Not yet checked against a local guide |
| Arid | Mar to Aug | Not yet checked against a local guide |
Your local conditions can shift any months shown here, so treat them as a guide.
Growing details
- How to start
- Sow directly in the bed
- Sowing depth
- 6mm
- Plant spacing
- 90cm
- Row spacing
- 20cm
- Height
- 300cm
- Germination
- 7-10 days at 20-25°C
- Frost
- Semi-hardy, protect from hard frost
- Sun
- Full sun
- Life cycle
- annual
These are typical figures, and varieties differ. Your seed packet takes priority.