Amaranthus
by Valerie (August 12, 2000)
Love-lies-bleeding (Amaranthus caudatus) is such a descriptive term for this small annual, that it is worth growing for the name alone. I'm not very keen on annuals that I can't start from seed, but this plant was an enjoyable experiment. A good choice for our climate, amaranthus has no problem with hot, dry conditions. The long, hanging stems of tiny red flowers start off very fluffy and short, but as the season progresses, they get longer and longer until they are curled up lying on the ground. A time-lapse sequence of photos would definitely look like the plant was "bleeding." The flowers last a long time, so their red color can be enjoyed, but they are no longer as fuzzy as when they were young. I tried to let the plant reseed but with no success. |