Amaranthus tricolor White Leaf

Amaranth White Leaf is a horticultural selection from the Amaranthus tricolor, usually grown in ornamental gardens for its highly coloured foliage. This variety has pale green leaves with a finer and sweeter flavour than ornamental varieties. It is a tall annual plant that reaches about 1.20 m (4ft) in height, and its leaves are consumed when young, like spinach, early in the season, before the plant blooms. The edible seeds are used like millet. Amaranth White Leaf tolerates heat well and is rather water-efficient. It is sown in situ in April-May, in full sun, in any deep and loose soil that remains moist. Space one plant every 40 cm (16in).

Little known to gourmets, Amaranth tricolor, sometimes called Joseph's Coat, is a tasty vegetable that can be prepared in a thousand ways, similar to spinach: raw in spring salads, in gratins, in cream, in Japanese fritters, quickly cooked in a wok, or even in a savoury tart with small pieces of goat cheese or salmon. The seeds, similar to quinoa, are a true concentrate of nutrients and do not contain gluten. They can replace rice, cereals, and semolina, and can be cooked as porridge, tortilla, or even risotto.

Originally from South America and belonging to the family of Chenopodiaceae or Amaranthaceae, like Beetroot and Chard, Amaranth tricolor is widely cultivated in many regions of the world because it is a robust and resistant plant capable of adapting to many growing conditions. Amaranth White Leaf will be more beautiful in deep, humus-rich, moist, and fertile soils. It thrives in the sun.

Harvest: Amaranth is harvested leaf by leaf, according to their growth and needs. Only young leaves are used before the plant shows the first signs of running to seed. The seeds are harvested when ripe, between August and October.

Storage: Amaranth does not keep well in the refrigerator as its leaves wilt quickly. It is best to consume them a few hours after harvesting. However, you can freeze them after blanching them for 3 minutes in salted boiling water.

Gardener's tip: Mulching in summer will help maintain soil moisture and reduce the frequency of watering.