Amaranthus diacanthus
| Amaranthus diacanthus | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |  |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Self Pollinated | |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Amaranthus diacanthus
Propagation: Seed - sow late spring in situ. Germination is usually rapid and good if the soil is warm[1]. A drop in temperature overnight aids germination[1].
An earlier sowing can be made in pots in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick out the seedlings into individual pots and plant out in late spring, after the last expected frosts.
Cuttings of growing plants root easily[2].
Cultivation: We have very little information on this species and do not know how well it will grow in Britain, though it should succeed as a spring-sown annual. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus.
Prefers a well-drained fertile soil in a sunny position[3]. Requires a hot sheltered position if it is to do well[K].
Plants should not be given inorganic fertilizers, see notes above on toxicity.
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[4].
Range: N. America.
Edibility: Leaves - cooked as a spinach[5][6][7][8].
Seed - cooked[7]. Very small but easy to harvest and very nutritious. Rich in starch[9]. 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].
Usage: Yellow and green dyes can be obtained from the whole plant[10].
Pollinators: Wind, self
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
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
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.
- ↑ Popenoe, Hugh. Lost Crops of the Incas. National Academy Press, 1990.
- ↑ Hedrick, Ulysses. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications, 1972.
- ↑ Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ Tanaka, Tyōzaburō. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing, 1976.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ Grae, Ida. Nature's Colors. MacMillan Publishing, 1974.