Amaranthus Cruentus

Amaranthus cruentus is a bold, fast-growing annual cultivated in the Americas for thousands of years as both a grain crop and an ornamental. Tall stems carry broad green leaves and magnificent upright or arching plumes in rich crimson, burgundy and red, followed by masses of tiny, protein-rich seeds. The flowers create dramatic height in summer borders and are excellent for cutting or drying, while the young leaves are edible in the same way as spinach. Heat loving and highly productive, it brings together ancient agricultural history, vivid colour and an unmistakably tropical presence in a single season.