Amaranthus blitum aka Purple Amaranth

Amaranthus blitum is an annual in the amaranth family. Common names include livid, purple, and slender amaranth. Some sources also call it Amaranthus lividus. NC State gives its native range as the Mediterranean. It now grows across temperate and tropical regions worldwide. It grows on waste ground and in garden beds. People gather it from the wild and grow it for food.

The plant can lie flat or send stems upward. Useful Tropical Plants lists a height of 2.3 feet [0.7 metres]. Its broader stem range reaches 3 feet [0.9 metres]. Stem length need not equal height in spreading plants. Simple or branched stems can spread outward from the base. This growth can form a low mat on the ground. The smooth stems are red to burgundy and lack scent. Green leaves grow in an alternate, spiral pattern. They are oval or wider toward the tip. Their edges are smooth or wavy, with a notched tip. Pale or dark marks may show on their upper face.

White flowers appear in summer and fall, according to NC State. Dense clusters grow where leaves meet the stems. At the top, these clusters form a spike-like head. Male and female flowers share the same clusters. Wind carries pollen, and the plant can also pollinate itself. Its fruit is a capsule under one inch long. The edible seeds measure about 1.2 millimetres across. Gardeners can grow new plants from seed.

This plant needs full sun and soil that drains well. NC State lists sand, loam, and clay as suitable soils. Plants For A Future recommends fertile soil and a warm, sheltered site. It gives a preferred soil pH of 5.5–7. It also reports tolerance from pH 4.3 to 7.5. NC State includes neutral and alkaline soils in its guidance. Plants For A Future lists USDA zones 4–8. Yet it warns that temperatures of 4°C or below can kill plants. That cold limit matters despite the listed zone range.

Leaves and young shoots serve as vegetables, often after cooking. Plants For A Future also lists raw leaves and cooked seeds. People use the seeds in porridge, cakes, and similar foods. Leaves supply vitamins A and C, calcium, and iron. Sources warn that leaves can collect nitrates in nitrogen-rich soil. This makes growing conditions important when using the plant as food. The whole plant yields yellow and green dyes. Sources record folk uses for sores, swelling, and other ailments. Stem rot is its main reported disease. Caterpillars and grasshoppers can cause severe harm. Aphids, leafminers, stinkbugs, mole crickets, and mites cause less damage. Its spread from bed edges into pots makes it a garden weed.