Amaranthus polygonoides aka Tropical Amaranth
Taxonomy
Common names
Tropical Amaranth, Smartweed Amaranth, White PollyHow to care for Tropical Amaranth
Water
Tropical Amaranth should be watered regularly, allowing the soil to dry out between waterings.
Soil
Tropical Amaranth loves a well-draining soil. Perlite and vermiculite help with drainage, while coco coir adds organic matter, so a good potting soil mix will have all three. You can improve store-bought soil by adding some perlite to it.
Lighting
Tropical Amaranth requires abundant, bright, and direct light to thrive. The best placement for this plant is within one foot of a window to ensure it receives enough light. If you live in an area with more extreme weather, such as hot summers or cold winters, you may need to adjust the placement of the plant accordingly. During hot summer months, it is important to place the plant away from full sun, as this can cause the leaves to yellow or burn. During cold winter months, it is best to move the plant closer to the window to take advantage of the extra light that can help it survive. By keeping an eye on the current weather in your area, you can make sure your Smartweed Amaranth is always in the right place to thrive.
Toxicity
No verified data on the toxicity of this plant exists within Ploi's records. Should you, someone in your family, or your pet ingest plant material with an unknown toxicity level, it is recommended to seek medical advice.
Fertilizer
Once the Tropical Amaranth has doubled in size or after a year has passed, it should be moved to a new pot. By replacing the soil with fresh potting soil containing all the vital nutrients, your plant will receive all the sustenance it needs, negating the requirement for fertilizer. It's important to remember that plants get their energy from the sun, not fertilizer.
Growth-pattern
New growth will sprout from the top of the Tropical Amaranth as it grows vertically.
More info:
Wikipedia
More Species in Amaranthus Genus
![](https://ploi-plant-care.s3.amazonaws.com/shrine/species/11120/thumb/thumb_jpg-040661a8ac70d9790d0cc08b8a4f5329.jpg?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=AKIAIOGNACPH7HGRS66Q%2F20240908%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20240908T013854Z&X-Amz-Expires=604800&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Signature=1f0ab05ba0458dc318c93c84bab006403800db9b46356e8b851cd1d2fd6dd4ce)
Amaranthus cruentus Red Amaranth
![](https://ploi-plant-care.s3.amazonaws.com/shrine/species/21633/thumb/thumb_jpg-5356e8c8216cb9fe070a48f1b78fd84e.jpg?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=AKIAIOGNACPH7HGRS66Q%2F20240908%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20240908T013854Z&X-Amz-Expires=604800&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Signature=5c0d23f58907b04c518be1937613db8de1fed725cc77daf424d720bf4a126a8d)
Amaranthus torreyi Bigelow's Amaranth
![](https://ploi-plant-care.s3.amazonaws.com/shrine/species/21347/thumb/thumb_jpg-a300050e8f15ac5ab26ab142feb16f48.jpg?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=AKIAIOGNACPH7HGRS66Q%2F20240908%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20240908T013854Z&X-Amz-Expires=604800&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Signature=992222b69800d4f9a567a1f35f8461535bd4d4cadf0ec515900241307d4dfd82)
Amaranthus Amaranth, Pigweed
![](https://ploi-plant-care.s3.amazonaws.com/shrine/species/9118/thumb/thumb_jpg-081d6a4387c7fa9d3ccca3963c3c480b.jpg?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=AKIAIOGNACPH7HGRS66Q%2F20240908%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20240908T013854Z&X-Amz-Expires=604800&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Signature=35026ce7d707643bea8b7aafdcc9a9a1b9ef0fd6f8dfebcd3a59b13c954a3666)
Amaranthus fimbriatus Fringed Amaranth
![](https://ploi-plant-care.s3.amazonaws.com/shrine/species/4827/thumb/thumb_jpg-294061f9b25b5064fa292f98455c709c.jpg?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=AKIAIOGNACPH7HGRS66Q%2F20240908%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20240908T013854Z&X-Amz-Expires=604800&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Signature=5c0b6d4a83fdd5cac609c4d3441c36ed2a6ca067fced9069c19af3c9846eea9f)
Amaranthus californicus California Amaranth
![](https://ploi-plant-care.s3.amazonaws.com/shrine/species/1375/thumb/thumb_jpg-05f0accd0e776ca85b5c839c728933a3.jpg?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=AKIAIOGNACPH7HGRS66Q%2F20240908%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20240908T013854Z&X-Amz-Expires=604800&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Signature=d40d3d79fc48ae1df36263c9455dbb7bfcc2c0e710564f3df7be2e379931d029)
Amaranthus retroflexus Reflexed Amaranth
![](https://ploi-plant-care.s3.amazonaws.com/shrine/species/4760/thumb/thumb_jpg-9e8d86077be55caa982d51a00ad8b668.jpg?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=AKIAIOGNACPH7HGRS66Q%2F20240908%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20240908T013854Z&X-Amz-Expires=604800&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Signature=e980544ccf8b9ca33c29472f6988b89b24a46ad1c65fcfbbfcd36f1b1edbbb7e)
Amaranthus polygonoides Tropical Amaranth
![](https://ploi-plant-care.s3.amazonaws.com/shrine/species/5678/thumb/thumb_jpg-6b292a4633b1fedb1eedce35578d5b7a.jpg?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=AKIAIOGNACPH7HGRS66Q%2F20240908%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20240908T013854Z&X-Amz-Expires=604800&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Signature=4ea9c96e0ee645b574a56deb0f9ea032977547939fe8769314e5e21dc33c2917)
Amaranthus hybridus Hybrid Amaranth
![](https://ploi-plant-care.s3.amazonaws.com/shrine/species/12406/thumb/thumb_jpg-24c871036bd1c9507a51683885a08833.jpg?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=AKIAIOGNACPH7HGRS66Q%2F20240908%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20240908T013854Z&X-Amz-Expires=604800&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Signature=21c2228b388e45cfa8cfcb2aca88c05522003fefb1f220e506ac30a65ca63bc1)
Amaranthus hypochondriacus Prince's Feather
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