THE AMARANTH
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Amaranthus spp.
FAMILY: Amaranthaceae
I was asked by several RFCA members for more information on the Amaranth.
I have been familiar with Amaranth plants for the past 45 years. First in South Africa, and for the past 20 years in North Queensland. I have admired the flowers, eaten the leaves and seeds, and here are items from my extensive research.
From Vegetables in S.E. Asia by C.A.G. Herklots, it is called Chinese Spinach and he cites more than fifty species that are grown in tropical and temperate regions and eaten as greens. It is a very ancient pot herb in S.E. Asia. The growth is very rapid in warm weather. If the upper portion of the plant is cut every 2 weeks, yield is best and the life of the plant is prolonged. Eventually the plant begins to flower and develops less leaves.
In Singapore, a variety, gangeticus grows to 10 ft., but the norm in North Queensland is 2½ft. Amaranth has a strong tap root and is an annual which seeds profusely.
From Edible Leaves of the Tropics printed in Puerto Rico, we learn that the leaves, when cooked, contain Vitamin A and C, calcium and iron in good quantities. A few sprigs of mint cooked with the leaves improves the flavour. Rates high as a spinach. The leaves soften up readily and should not be overcooked. Texture is soft and the flavour is mild with no bitterness. As the leaves contain some oxalic acid, avoid eating many raw leaves.
Amaranth leaves are particularly attractive to chewing insects at some time of the year. You can spray with fish emulsion as a nutrient and deterrent or cover the plants with a fine screen.
The seeds of all Amaranth are very nutritious and were used as a staple grain crop by the Aztec Indians. The grain variety grows with difficulty in my garden. It is being grown in North America to produce nutritious flour. I use the seeds from my spinach Amaranth plants. I strip them off using 2 fingers before the seeds become hard. They must then be dried or used soon, or they will grow mould. I use the seeds in fritters, stir fry, cakes, biscuits and even in rolled oat porridge. These seeds cost nothing.
The final uses of the Amaranth are ornamental and herbal. For herbal potions, the leaves have many uses. The ornamental varieties are 'Love Lies Bleeding', native to Africa and Java, but grown in Australia. Many of you will know the Cockscomb, Joseph's Coat and Princess Feather. These ornamental varieties all have Latin names and you can cook the leaves and eat the seeds as in viridis.
Amaranthus viridis is the one that grows so well as a weed in our vegetable gardens. I suggest keeping a small patch for use as a spinach. It is useful in summer when greens are difficult to grow in North Queensland.
The name AMARANTH comes from the Greek, meaning "unwithering" and was used as a symbol of immortality.
DATE: January 1990
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