Golden Giant Amaranth

Amaranthus cruentus

Awe inspiring and towering at six feet, Golden Giant Amaranth is crowned with lucious, feathery and seed-laden bronze plumes. A high yielding and easy to grow variety with minimal processing needed for seed harvest. Excellent for growing a nutrient dense staple at home. This tiny seeds is a complete protein containing all amino acids and is very high in iron, calcium, manganese and potassium. Young plants also produce tender tasty leaves, akin to its relative goosefoot. Traces of its wild ancestor, A. hybridus, were discovered within a 7000-8000 year old archaeological site located in Catamarca, Argentina of the southern Puña dessert. Archeological records indicate that this particular variety, Amaranthus cruentus, native from central Mexico to Nicaragua, is the original cultivar to have been domesticated about 6000 years ago. Amaranth became a pre-colonial staple grain holding profound spiritual and ceremonial stature within the Aztec Empire. In the Náhuatl language it is named huautli, meaning the smallest giver of life.

Growing Instructions:

Direct sow or transplant (recommended) one foot apart in rows two feet apart after last frost.

Provide plenty of compost at time of planting. We also recommend a fall or spring cover crop of peas or another annual legume to fix nitrogen for the corn planting. Make sure soil pH is between 5.8 and 7.0. If plant needs a growing boost, water with nitrogen tea or compost tea a few times. If trace minerals are inadequate, sprinkle a small amount of woodash or azomite in each planting hole.

Harvest Instructions:

To harvest grains, clip the mature heads and hang to dry. On a large cloth trample the heads to release seeds or shake dried heads into cloth bags to catch seeds. Winnow and store in airtight jars. You can pop the amaranth grains in a hot pan, then mix in a bowl with honey for a traditional Mexican nutrient dense snack called alegría. No de-hulling required!