Amaranthus blitum
| Amaranthus blitum | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 5 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Self Pollinated | |
| Height: | 3' |
| Blooms: | Late Summer |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Amaranthus blitum (common name: slender amaranth)
Propagation: Seed - sow late spring in situ. An earlier sowing can be made in a greenhouse and the plants put out after the last expected frosts. Germination is usually rapid and good if the soil is warm[1]. A drop in temperature overnight aids germination[1].
Cuttings of growing plants root easily[2].
Cultivation: Prefers a well-drained fertile soil in a sunny position[3]. Requires a hot sheltered position if it is to do well[K]. Tolerates a pH in the range 4.3 to 7.5.
Plants should not be given inorganic fertilizers, see notes above on toxicity.
This plant was cultivated by the ancient Romans and Greeks for its edible leaves, there are some named varieties[4].
Most if not all members of this genus photosynthesize by a more efficient method than most plants. Called the 'C4 carbon-fixation pathway', this process is particularly efficient at high temperatures, in bright sunlight and under dry conditions[5].
Range: Temperate and Tropical zones.
Habitat: A cosmopolitan weed growing on waste ground[6][7].
Edibility: Leaves - raw or cooked as a spinach[8][9][10][4]. The leaves contain about 3.88% protein, 1.1% fat, 9.38% carbohydrate, 3.2% ash, 323mg Ca, 8.3mg Fe, they are very rich in Vitamins A & C, rich in vitamin B1[11]. The leaves are used as a potherb in order to remove poison from the system[12].
Seed - cooked. Used as a cereal substitute in cakes, porridge etc[10][4]. Very small but easy to harvest and very nutritious. The seed can be cooked whole, and becomes very gelatinous like this, but it is rather difficult to crush all of the small seeds in the mouth and thus some of the seed will pass right through the digestive system without being assimilated[K].
An edible dye is obtained from the seed capsules[9].
Medicinal: A fluid extract of the plant is used as an astringent internally in the treatment of ulcerated mouths and throats, externally as a wash for ulcers and sores[9].
The juice of the roots is used externally to relieve headaches[13].
The plant has a folk reputation for being effective in the treatment of tumours and warts[12].
Usage: Yellow and green dyes can be obtained from the whole plant[14].
Pollinators: Wind, self
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Seed Ripens: Early Fall
Flower Type: Monoecious
Known Hazards: No members of this genus are known to be poisonous, but when grown on nitrogen-rich soils they are known to concentrate nitrates in the leaves. This is especially noticeable on land where chemical fertilizers are used. Nitrates are implicated in stomach c
Also Known As: A. blitum. L.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Rice, Graham. Growing from Seed Volume 1. Thompson and Morgan, 1987.
- ↑ Larkcom, Joy. Oriental Vegetables. John Murray, 1991.
- ↑ Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ Popenoe, Hugh. Lost Crops of the Incas. National Academy Press, 1990.
- ↑ Ohwi, Jisaburo. Flora of Japan. Smithsonian Institution, 1965.
- ↑ Livingstone, B. Flora of Canada. National Museums of Canada, 1978.
- ↑ Hedrick, Ulysses. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications, 1972.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Penguin, 1984.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Harris, Ben. Eat the Weeds. Pivot Health, 1973.
- ↑ Read, Bernard. Famine Foods Listed in the Chiu Huang Pen Ts'ao. Taipei Southern Materials Centre, 1977.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Duke, James and Edward Ayensu. Medicinal Plants of China. Reference Publications, 1985.
- ↑ Manandhar, Narayan. Plants and People of Nepal. Timber Press, 2002.
- ↑ Grae, Ida. Nature's Colors. MacMillan Publishing, 1974.