Amaranthus tricolor Illumination - Amaranth

This Amaranthus tricolor Illumination may be the most beautiful selection from a beautiful annual plant called amaranth. It is grown for its remarkably colourful and variegated young leaves. Its juvenile and undulate leaves combine gold, orange, copper, and red in large splashes that persist well into autumn. This plant is magnificent in flower beds, pots, or bouquets. It appreciates the sun and well-drained soil rich in nitrogen.

Also known as Amaranth tricolor, this upright annual belongs to the amaranth family. It is native to tropical areas of Southeast Asia (China, Japan, India, Java). In a year, it forms one or several stems that are 60 to 80 cm (24 to 32in) tall, occupying about 40 cm (16in) of ground space. 'Illumination' is a cultivar with richly coloured foliage. The large evergreen leaves are elongated and tapered, wavy-edged, and strongly veined. They are arranged in a circle around the thick, sturdy stems. When they are young, at the tips of the stems, they are flamboyant, variegated, and their beautiful colours persist until the frosts. Then they turn green. The flowering, quite discreet in this variety, occurs in late summer and autumn. The tiny red flowers are gathered in modest panicles. Seeds can be collected at the end of the season to be sown again the following year.

Amaranthus tricolor are wonderful foliage plants that have their place in flower beds. Their exotic appearance also suits large pots on the patio. Plant them in groups of 3 or 5, associate them with other lower or creeping plants (catmints, silver baskets) to highlight the height of the plants. They are also vegetable plants that can be sown in the vegetable garden. They can be eaten raw in salads or cooked like spinach.