Amaranthus polystachyus

Amaranthus polystachyus belongs to the amaranth family, Amaranthaceae. It is an annual: its life cycle lasts one year. The sources place its range in the tropics. They give no more precise facts about its native range. Useful Tropical Plants lists it as a wild plant. People gather its leaves and seeds for local food use. Neither account says what kind of place it grows in. Neither gives a sound figure for its full height or spread.

Frost can harm this plant. Its male and female flowers grow on the same plant. Wind carries its pollen. It is self-fertile: its own pollen can help form seeds. The sources do not say when its flowers bloom. They give no flower colour, stem details, or leaf shape. They say the seeds are quite small but easy to gather. Neither source tells us what form the fruit takes.

Plants For A Future says it needs light, not shade. It lists moist soil that drains well as suitable. That source says it accepts sand, loam, and clay soils. Its stated soil pH spans mildly acid to mildly alkaline. Useful Tropical Plants calls for a warm, sheltered, sunny site. But Plants For A Future adds a caveat. Its growing notes draw on the needs of the genus as a whole. It is not clear how well this plant grows in Britain. Sowing in spring may work there. Neither source gives a hardiness zone number.

People can cook the leaves as greens, much like spinach. They taste mild, and the sources say they provide nutrients. People can also cook the seeds and eat them whole. Once cooked, they have a thick, jelly-like feel. Their small size makes them hard to chew fully. The gut may not break down some seeds that pass through. The whole plant also yields green and yellow dyes. Neither account lists a use for this species as medicine.

Useful Tropical Plants says insects that chew leaves can cause harm. Its seed notes favour warm soil. Cold soil can make it hard for seeds to sprout. A cool night after a warm day may help them sprout. The sources also say cuttings from growing plants root with ease. Both warn against eating plants grown with inorganic fertilisers. They link this risk to nitrate buildup in the leaves. This buildup occurs on ground rich in nitrogen. Heed this warning when growing the plant for food.