Nearly all amaranths are edible, including love-lies-bleeding and even the common road-side weedy forms. But those sold as edible varieties are selected for their good seed production and especially tasty leaves.
All of the amaranth plant is edible – the roots, the leaves, the flowers and the seeds. It is a hardy, drought-tolerant annual that self-seeds and is easy to grow – particularly in hot times. Many varieties have spectacular flowers too.
Another thing we wanted the answer to was: are Amaranthus edible?
Kathleen Miller is a Master Gardener and Horticulturist with over 30 years experience in gardening and sustainable farming. Of the more than 70 species of the Amaranthus genus worldwide, only about a dozen are cultivated, either as ornamentals or as an edible for their grain or leaves.
One of the better known species, Palmer amaranth, aka Palmer pigweed ( Amaranthus Palmeri ), is an invasive weed that plagues cotton and soybean fields in the South. There are around 60 species of amaranth — all have varying degrees of good-to-eatness.
While we were writing we ran into the question “Can you eat amaranth in Mexico?”.
In Mexico, the popped seeds are mixed with honey and other foods, such as chocolate and nuts, for a tasty snack called alegría. You can try our nutty breakfast alternative to white-flour pancakes. Amaranth has another edible advantage: the leaves can be harvested as a vegetable.
Can I grow amaranth at home?
Home gardeners can grow amaranth (Amaranthus spp.) for grain and microgreens. Amaranth seeds are harvested in fall and cleaned, sorted, and packaged for sale as a food that’s cooked much like quinoa (a relative of amaranth). For fresh salads, you can harvest amaranth leaves as a microgreen after they sport two true leaves, or pick baby leaves.
What is amaranth and why do I Love It?
I love abundant plants like this and welcome them into my garden. All of the amaranth plant is edible – the roots, the leaves, the flowers and the seeds. It is a hardy, drought-tolerant annual that self-seeds and is easy to grow – particularly in hot times. Many varieties have spectacular flowers too.