Also called love-lies-bleeding, this annual plant looks especially pretty in dried flower arrangements.
They makebeautiful additions to cut flower arrangements.
This guide explains how to grow foxtail amaranth in your own garden.
Credit:Laurie Black
Use thisbold annualto add afocal point to containersand as standouts in the middle or back of garden beds.
The plants grow quickly as soon as daytime temperatures regularly reach 70F.
These quick-growers will bloom within eight weeks after sowing.
Credit:BHG / Kerri Jo
Place them in a bright, warm location and keep the planting medium moist until germination.
Harden off the resulting seedlings before transplanting them into the garden after the last frost date.
As it grows, loosely tie its stem to the stake.
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
When grown in partial shade, foxtail amaranth produces fewer flowers and weak stems.
It needs water during germination and pollination but can do with less water for the rest of the season.
This annual can’t handle cold weather, though.
Credit: Greg Ryan
Any temperature chillier than 40F kills the plant.
Average humidity is sufficient for the plant, although it is grown in the humid tropics successfully.
This plant is intolerant of inorganic fertilizers, particularly those containinghigh amounts of nitrogen.
Pruning
There is no need to prune this annual.
After the plant dies in winter, remove and discard the remaining foliage.
Use well-draining potting soil in a container with excellent drainage.
Set the planter outside when warm weather arrives and leave it until the plant dies in fall.
This plant is an annual, so it doesn’t require repotting.
Pests and Problems
Aphids are frequent visitors of foxtail amaranth plants.
They can be removed with a strong spray of water ortreated with neem oil.
Leaf beetlescan be a problem for foxtail amaranth.
Watch for small holes on the leaves, which is the first indication of their presence.
Spray beetles with soapy water or pick off the beetles and drop them into soapy water.
The same treatments are recommended for caterpillars found on the leaves.
Wait until the flower stalks die and begin to turn brown.
Remove any chaff and store the seeds in an airtight jar in a dry, dark location until spring.
Harvesting Flowers
Foxtail amaranth is afavorite everlasting flower.
Its flowers turn a warm shade of bronze after the stems dry.
To harvest stems for drying, cut young, fresh flower stalks.
Tie two or three stems together and hang them in a dark, airy, dry place.
The stems will dry in about one month and can be added todried flower arrangements.
It makes a statement in both dried and fresh arrangements.
‘Coral Fountain’ relishes heat and comes into its own in midsummer, blooming until late fall.
Its everlasting blooms are spectacular in flower arrangements, and birds love the seedheads.
It grows to 3-5 feet.
This plant grows to 5 feet tall.
It has a single upright deep purplish-red flower spike.
The spike is 3 inches thick, sometimes tapering to 1 inch.
Overall, the plant reaches 3-4 feet tall.
The flowers are beautiful fresh, but they also dry well.
They bloom in all the colors of a glowing sunset.
Plant established seedlings in spring after all danger of frost has passed.
Celosia likes rich, well-drained soil with moderate water.
Spider mites can sometimes be a problem in hot, dry weather.
Mexican Sunflower
Attract butterfliesand have fun doing it withbig, bold, beautiful Mexican sunflower.
Sow seeds directly in the ground and watch them soar.
Put a cluster of these bodacious beauties in the back of the border to give it height and drama.
Many of the taller types need staking to keep them upright.
Plant them outdoors after all danger of frost has passed in a sunny spot with well-drained soil.
Annual Sunflower
Big, beautiful, and old-fashioned,sunflowers suit most gardens.
The color range is wide, too, with almost every shade of yellow, orange, and red.
