plant

Grain amaranth

Amaranthus caudatus

Updated 8 Jul 2026 · AI-parsed entry

Grain amaranth (Amaranthus caudatus) — a plant, for Full sun, Medium water.

What it needs & gives back

↓ Needs

Sunlightfull sun
Watermoderate

↑ Gives back

Biomasshigh

Through the year

Emergence

Seeds germinate rapidly once soil temperatures are consistently above 150C.

Flowering

Flowering is initiated by shortening day lengths, typically in late summer to early autumn.

Fruiting

Fruiting follows flowering, with seeds developing over several weeks.

Harvest

Seeds are ready for harvest when they begin to shatter from the seed heads.

Senescence

Plants die back with the first hard autumn frost.

Timing is relative to your local season (temperate Northern Hemisphere).

Soil interactions

Drainagewell-drained
Nitrogen fixingNo
MycorrhizalNo
Accumulatespotassium, calcium, iron
Soil textureloam, sandy_loam
Organic matterMedium
Compaction toleranceLow

Propagation

Methodsseed
Difficulty1 / 5
Establishes in~0 yr
Self-seedingModerate

Wildlife & pests

Attractspollinators
Can host pestsamaranth weevil, leaf miners, aphids
Can host diseasesdamping-off, white rust