Purple Amaranth: The Edible Wild Green Taking Root in North American Gardens
Meet purple amaranth (Amaranthus blitum), a humble little plant that’s been quietly making itself at home across North America. This unassuming annual herb might not win any beauty contests, but it’s got some interesting qualities that make it worth knowing about – especially if you’re into edible landscaping or wild food foraging.
What Exactly Is Purple Amaranth?
Purple amaranth is an annual forb, which is just a fancy way of saying it’s a non-woody herbaceous plant that completes its life cycle in one year. Don’t let the name fool you – while the stems often develop reddish or purplish hues, the overall appearance is more on the humble green side. This little guy typically grows as a low-spreading plant with oval to diamond-shaped leaves and produces tiny, inconspicuous greenish flowers clustered together in dense spikes.
Where Does It Come From and Where Can You Find It?
Originally from the Mediterranean region, Europe, and parts of Asia, purple amaranth is considered a non-native species throughout North America. However, it’s established itself quite successfully and now reproduces on its own in the wild across a impressive range of locations.
You can find this adaptable plant growing in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Puerto Rico, and several Canadian provinces including Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec.
Should You Plant Purple Amaranth in Your Garden?
Here’s where things get interesting. Purple amaranth sits in that middle ground – it’s not native, but it’s also not considered invasive or problematic. So whether you want to grow it really depends on your gardening goals.
Reasons You Might Want to Grow It:
- It’s completely edible – leaves, stems, and seeds can all be eaten
- Extremely easy to grow and requires almost no maintenance
- Thrives in poor soils where other plants struggle
- Great for beginners or low-maintenance gardens
- Interesting addition to a wild food or survival garden
Reasons You Might Skip It:
- Limited ornamental value compared to native alternatives
- Can self-seed aggressively if you’re not careful
- Doesn’t provide significant benefits to native pollinators (it’s wind-pollinated)
- Takes up space that could support native wildlife
Growing Conditions and Care
If you decide to give purple amaranth a try, you’ll find it refreshingly undemanding. This plant is quite content in full sun and well-drained soil, though it’s remarkably tolerant of poor soil conditions and drought once established.
The wetland status varies by region – in most areas, it’s classified as facultative upland, meaning it usually prefers non-wetland conditions but can occasionally pop up in wetter areas. In the Midwest and Arid West, it’s more adaptable to both wet and dry conditions.
Planting and Care Tips:
- Direct seed in spring after the last frost
- Scatter seeds on prepared soil and lightly rake in
- Water gently until seedlings establish
- Once established, it’s quite drought-tolerant
- Harvest young leaves for eating before the plant flowers
- Remove flower heads if you don’t want it to self-seed
USDA Hardiness Zones
As an annual plant, purple amaranth can grow in USDA hardiness zones 3-10. It will complete its entire life cycle in one growing season regardless of your zone, though in warmer areas it may have a longer growing period.
Consider Native Alternatives
While purple amaranth isn’t harmful to grow, you might want to consider some native alternatives that provide similar benefits while supporting local ecosystems:
- Native amaranth species like Amaranthus retroflexus (redroot amaranth) if it’s native to your area
- Lamb’s quarters (Chenopodium album) – another edible wild green
- Native spinach alternatives like Atriplex species
- Wild lettuce (Lactuca species) for edible greens
The Bottom Line
Purple amaranth is one of those plants that won’t cause problems if you grow it, but won’t necessarily solve any problems either. If you’re interested in edible landscaping, want an easy-care annual for difficult spots, or are curious about wild food plants, it might be worth trying. Just remember to deadhead the flowers if you don’t want it spreading around your garden, and consider prioritizing native species that support local wildlife in your main planting areas.
Whatever you decide, purple amaranth is certainly a testament to how adaptable and resilient plants can be – even if they’re not always the showiest members of the garden party!
