Amaranthus caudatus
Love Lies Bleeding

Uses

Toxic parts

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 cancers, blue babies and some other health problems. It is inadvisable, therefore, to eat this plant if it is grown inorganically.

Edible uses

Notes

Leaves - raw or cooked as a spinach or added to soups etc^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]. The mild flavoured leaves are rich in vitamins and minerals[183, K].

Seed - cooked^[1]^[2]^[6]^[4]. Very small but easy to harvest and very nutritious, individual plants can bear up to 100, 000 seeds^[7]. It is eaten cooked or ground into a powder and used in baking^[3]^[5]^[7]. The seed can also be popped in much the same way as popcorn^[8]^[5]. 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]. The seed is very nutritious and contains 13 - 18% of a very high quality protein that is rich in the amino acid lysine^[7]. It also contains good quantities of calcium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, zinc, vitamin E and the vitamin B complex^[7].

A red food colouring called 'betalaina' is obtained from red cultivars^[7].

Unknown part

Colouring

Leaves

Unknown use

Seed

Unknown use

Material uses

Yellow and green dyes can be obtained from the whole plant^[9].

Unknown part

Dye

Medicinal uses(Warning!)

The plant is astringent, anthelmintic and diuretic^[10]^[11]. It is used in the treatment of stranguary and is applied externally to scrofulous sores^[11].

Unknown part

Anthelmintic

Astringent

Ecology

Ecosystem niche/layer

Ecological Functions

Nothing listed.

Forage

Nothing listed.

Shelter

Nothing listed.

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^[12]. A drop in temperature overnight aids germination^[12]. Cuttings of growing plants root easily^[13].

Practical Plants is currently lacking information on propagation instructions of Amaranthus caudatus. Help us fill in the blanks! Edit this page to add your knowledge.

Cultivation

Prefers a well-drained fertile soil in a sunny position^[7]^[14]. Grows moderately well in poor soils^[14]. Requires a hot sheltered position if it is to do well[K]. Plants are drought resistant though reasonable moisture levels are required for germination and also at pollination^[7]. Some forms can tolerate a pH up to 8.5, there are also some that can tolerate mild salinity^[7]. It is likely that they will also tolerate acid soils and aluminium toxicity^[7].

Plants are not frost-hardy, the most cold tolerant cultivars can tolerate temperatures down to about 4°c^[7]. Plants should not be given inorganic fertilizers, see notes above on toxicity. This species is cultivated for its edible seed and leaves in the Andes and various other parts of S. America^[2]^[3]^[8]. It probably arose through cultivation from A. quitensis. There are some named varieties^[7]. Plants take 4 - 6 months from sowing to harvesting the seed, but up to 10 months in some Andean highland regions^[7]. Yields from 1 - 3 tonnes per hectare are common, 5 tonnes has been achieved and research sites have produced the equivalent of 6 tonnes per hectare^[7]. The seed is usually harvested just before maturity otherwise some of the seed will be lost during harvesting^[7]. Plants usually have downward facing seedheads but varieties have been developed with upward facing heads that can be harvested mechanically^[7]. This species is sensitive to day-length most cultivars are short-day and have not done well in northern latitudes, but there are some varieties that flower at day-lengths up to 16 hours^[7].

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^[7].

Crops

Problems, pests & diseases

Associations & Interactions

There are no interactions listed for Amaranthus caudatus. Do you know of an interaction that should be listed here? edit this page to add it.

Polycultures & Guilds

There are no polycultures listed which include Amaranthus caudatus.

Descendants

Cultivars

Varieties

None listed.

Subspecies

None listed.

Full Data

This table shows all the data stored for this plant.

References

? ^1.0^1.1^1.2 Sholto-Douglas. J. Alternative Foods. ()
? ^2.0^2.1^2.2^2.3 Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim (1959-00-00)
? ^3.0^3.1^3.2^3.3 Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable ISBN 0094579202 (1974-00-00)
? ^4.0^4.1^4.2 Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing (1976-00-00)
? ^5.0^5.1^5.2^5.3 Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications ISBN 0-9628087-0-9 (1990-00-00)
? ^6.0^6.1 Schery. R. W. Plants for Man. ()
? ^7.00^7.01^7.02^7.03^7.04^7.05^7.06^7.07^7.08^7.09^7.10^7.11^7.12^7.13^7.14^7.15^7.16^7.17 Popenoe. H. et al Lost Crops of the Incas National Academy Press ISBN 0-309-04264-X (1990-00-00)
? ^8.0^8.1^8.2 Towle. M. A. The Ethno-Botany of Pre-Columbian Peru. ()
? ^9.0^9.1 Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants. MacMillan Publishing Co. New York. ISBN 0-02-544950-8 (1974-00-00)
? ^10.0^10.1 Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin ISBN 0-14-046-440-9 (1984-00-00)
? ^11.0^11.1^11.2 Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. (1986-00-00)
? ^12.0^12.1 Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 1. Thompson and Morgan. (1987-00-00)
? Larkcom J. Oriental Vegetables John Murray ISBN 0-7195-4781-4 (1991-00-00)
? ^14.0^14.1^14.2 Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press ISBN 0-333-47494-5 (1992-00-00)

Cite error: <ref> tag with name "PFAFimport-145" defined in <references> is not used in prior text.

"image:Amaranthus caudatus0.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.

[PFAFimport-22-1] ? ^1.0^1.1^1.2 Sholto-Douglas. J. Alternative Foods. ()

[PFAFimport-46-2] ? ^2.0^2.1^2.2^2.3 Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim (1959-00-00)

[PFAFimport-61-3] ? ^3.0^3.1^3.2^3.3 Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable ISBN 0094579202 (1974-00-00)

[PFAFimport-105-4] ? ^4.0^4.1^4.2 Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing (1976-00-00)

[PFAFimport-183-5] ? ^5.0^5.1^5.2^5.3 Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications ISBN 0-9628087-0-9 (1990-00-00)

[PFAFimport-57-6] ? ^6.0^6.1 Schery. R. W. Plants for Man. ()

[PFAFimport-196-7] ? ^7.00^7.01^7.02^7.03^7.04^7.05^7.06^7.07^7.08^7.09^7.10^7.11^7.12^7.13^7.14^7.15^7.16^7.17 Popenoe. H. et al Lost Crops of the Incas National Academy Press ISBN 0-309-04264-X (1990-00-00)

[PFAFimport-97-8] ? ^8.0^8.1^8.2 Towle. M. A. The Ethno-Botany of Pre-Columbian Peru. ()

[PFAFimport-168-9] ? ^9.0^9.1 Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants. MacMillan Publishing Co. New York. ISBN 0-02-544950-8 (1974-00-00)

[PFAFimport-4-10] ? ^10.0^10.1 Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin ISBN 0-14-046-440-9 (1984-00-00)

[PFAFimport-240-11] ? ^11.0^11.1^11.2 Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. (1986-00-00)

[PFAFimport-133-12] ? ^12.0^12.1 Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 1. Thompson and Morgan. (1987-00-00)

[PFAFimport-206-13] ? Larkcom J. Oriental Vegetables John Murray ISBN 0-7195-4781-4 (1991-00-00)

[PFAFimport-200-14] ? ^14.0^14.1^14.2 Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press ISBN 0-333-47494-5 (1992-00-00)

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Article is incomplete	Yes +
Article requires citations	No +
Article requires cleanup	Yes +
Belongs to family	Amaranthaceae +
Belongs to genus	Amaranthus +
Has common name	Love Lies Bleeding +
Has drought tolerance	Tolerant +
Has edible part	Unknown part +, Leaves + and Seeds +
Has edible use	Colouring + and Unknown use +
Has environmental tolerance	Drought + and Salinity +
Has fertility type	Self fertile +, Wind + and Self +
Has flowers of type	Monoecious +
Has hardiness zone	5 +
Has image	Amaranthus caudatus0.jpg +
Has lifecycle type	Annual +
Has material part	Unknown part +
Has material use	Dye +
Has mature height	2 +
Has mature width	0.45 +
Has medicinal part	Unknown part +
Has medicinal use	Anthelmintic + and Astringent +
Has primary image	Amaranthus caudatus0.jpg +
Has salinity tolerance	Tolerant +
Has search name	amaranthus caudatus + and x +
Has shade tolerance	No shade +
Has soil ph preference	Very acid +, Acid +, Neutral +, Alkaline + and Very alkaline +
Has soil teclayture preference	Clay +
Has soil teloamyture preference	Loamy +
Has soil tesandyture preference	Sandy +
Has soil water retention preference	Well drained +
Has sun preference	Full sun +
Has taxonomy name	Amaranthus caudatus +
Has water requirements	moderate +
Is taxonomy type	Species +
Tolerates nutritionally poor soil	No +
Uses mature size measurement unit	Meters +

Uses

Toxic parts

Edible uses

Notes

Unknown part

Leaves

Seed

Material uses

Unknown part

Medicinal uses(Warning!)

Unknown part

Ecology

Ecosystem niche/layer

Ecological Functions

Forage

Shelter

Propagation

Cultivation

Crops

Problems, pests & diseases

Associations & Interactions

Polycultures & Guilds

Descendants

Cultivars

Varieties

Subspecies

Full Data

References

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