Amaranthus viridis Seeds | Slender Amaranth

Slender Amaranth seeds (Amaranthus viridis)

LATIN NAME: Amaranthus viridis

COMMON NAME: Slender Amaranth, Green Amaranth

Plant Profile

Slender Amaranth (Amaranthus viridis) is a soft, green annual herb of the amaranth family (Amaranthaceae), probably native to tropical America and now pantropical. It grows 20-80 cm tall, with tender, ovate leaves and slender, green flower spikes, thriving in gardens, roadsides and cultivated ground. It is one of the most widely gathered wild greens of the tropics, cooked like spinach across Africa and Asia.

Science & Biotechnology

Amaranthus viridis sits in the Amaranthus group, a group that keeps botanists, horticulturists and plant breeders busy with questions of classification, adaptation and ornamental potential. Ongoing agricultural research continues to examine its cultivation potential as a resilient, fast-growing vegetable crop suited to smallholder farming systems in warm climates. With present-day seed handling, raising this species well within the reach of any careful grower.

Uses & Benefits

Beyond its ornamental appeal, Slender Amaranth has the practical versatility that makes a plant worth growing from seed year after year. Slender amaranth’s tender, glossy leaves are a staple leafy green across large parts of Africa, Asia and the Caribbean, cooked much like spinach and valued both for their mild flavour and considerable nutritional density. Its fast growth cycle and tolerance of poor soils and hot conditions make it a genuinely practical, low-maintenance vegetable crop for home gardens in warm climates. In later seasons it demands little more than an appreciative eye.

Amaranth is a dual-purpose plant: the grain-like seeds are a complete protein food rich in lysine, and the leaves are a nutritious green eaten across the tropics. Folk medicine has long used the plant as a mild astringent.

Growing from Seed

Sow fresh seed of Slender Amaranth under ordinary good conditions. Sow fine seed onto surface of a loose, well-drained mix without covering it deeply, keeping conditions warm and consistently moist. Full sun and steady warmth suit this fast-cycling vegetable well, and tender young leaves are typically ready for harvest soon after the plants establish. Sow evenly over the surface and cover lightly into a loose, well-drained seed compost, water in gently, and keep the sowing in full sun with steady moisture. Move strong seedlings into individual pots, keep them in good light, and set them out when the weather and their size agree.

Our Take

Part of this plant’s appeal is the long practical history summarized above. Slender Amaranth, Green Amaranth earns its space through character rather than fuss. The essentials are simple: full sun, drainage and patience while it establishes.

Flower Seeds