Amaranthus
Common name: Love lies bleeding.
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Overview
A.caudatus
Love lies bleeding is the most popular of the species.
This unusual looking annual makes an interesting addition to summer bedding schemes, with its long tassels that dangle almost to the ground.
Larger plants may need staking to support the weight of their blooms.
Depending upon variety, they will grow from about 600-900mm (2-3ft) high.
The clusters of drooping racemes/tassels generally appear in July and flower on until late October.
A. hypochondriacus
Prince’s feather again dependant upon variety, these will grow to around 900-1200mm (3-4ft) high.
Erect plume like flowers appear in August and flower till late October.
A.tricolour
Jacobs’s coat is a shrubby plant and is generally grown for its variegated foliage.
Erect brush like flowers appear in August.
All three species are half hardy and prefer a location where the soil type is dry-moist, well-drained and in full sun, the more light and heat they receive leads to to better flower quality.
Each of the species make excellent summer border plants or container plants.
When cut, they are well suited to drying for dried flower arrangements.
A.caudatus
A. hypochondriacus
A,tricolour
Cultivation
Week 9:
Sow seed in trays of seed compost and germinate at a temperature of 20°C (68°F)
Germination should take up to a week.
Week 13:
If large enough to handle prick out into 50mm (2”) cell trays or 50mm (2”) apart in boxes.
Alternatively; Pot up a few to be grown as pot / container plants.
Place the plants in a frost free cold frame until planting out time.
Week 22:
Plant out 500mm (18”) apart in a sunny position.
Pot up plants that are being grown as ‘pot’ plants into 100mm (4”) pots.
Week 26:
Pot up pot grown plants into 125-150mm (5”-6”) diameter pots.