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Amaranthus hypochondriacus

Perennial

HomePerennialAmaranthus hypochondriacus

A weed of wasteland and agricultural land.

Family: Amaranthaceae
Height: 1.2 m / 4 ft
Sun
Light, Medium and Heavy Soil
Moist

Plant Rating

Edible Uses: 4 of 5
Medicinal Uses: 3 of 5
Other Uses: 2 of 5

Native Habitat

Prince's Feather, Prince-of-wales feather Amaranthus hypochondriacus native habitat is A weed of wasteland and agricultural land.

Edible Uses

Young leaves - cooked as a spinach. Rich in vitamins and minerals, they have a mild flavour. Seed - raw or cooked. They can be used as a cereal substitute. They can also be popped in much the same way as popcorn. The seed can be soaked for 12 hours in warm water and then allowed to sprout for about 11 days. They can then be added to salads. Very small but the seed is easy to harvest and very nutritious. The seed can be cooked whole, and becomes very gelatinous like this, but it is rather difficult to crush all of the small seeds in the mouth and thus some of the seed will pass right through the digestive system without being assimilated. A red pigment obtained from the plant is used as a food colouring.

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