Red Leaf Amaranth

Amaranthus tricolor

vegetable

Red Leaf Amaranth is the edible leaf form of Amaranthus tricolor, the leafy green known across the Caribbean as callaloo and across Asia as Chinese spinach or tampala. It is grown for its vivid, often red-and-green leaves, which cook down mild and tender like a richer spinach. Fast, upright, and heat-loving, it thrives in hot weather and poor soil where temperate greens fail, making it a dependable summer leaf crop. The same species also yields edible seeds, and many ornamental and culinary varieties exist - they differ mostly in leaf color and size and share the same easy care. Note this is cultivated edible amaranth, distinct from the weedy wild pigweeds.

✅ Plant alongside

Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests

• Corn — A tall warm-season partner that shares amaranths love of heat and open sun
• Cucumber — Runs along the ground below the upright amaranth, using space efficiently
• Pepper — A heat-loving neighbor on the same season and watering schedule

🛡️ Pest & disease prevention

Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts — tap a name with an arrow for its full guide

• Aphids →

  Gather on flowers and tender foliage - rinse them off and encourage ladybugs and lacewings

• Flea beetles →

  Pepper young leaves with small holes - float row cover over seedlings and keep plants vigorous

• Root rot →

  Phytophthora rot strikes in soggy ground - plant in well-drained soil and avoid overwatering

🌾 Harvest & storage

Leaf amaranth is fast, with tender leaves ready to pick in roughly 30 to 50 days. Snip young leaves and shoot tips as you need them and the plant rebranches for repeat cut-and-come-again harvests; younger leaves are the most tender. Cook the leaves like spinach - they wilt quickly in a saute, soup, or stir-fry. As with spinach, the leaves contain oxalates and can take up nitrates if heavily fertilized, so cook them rather than eating large raw quantities, and do not over-fertilize.

🥗 Nutrition & benefits

Amaranth leaves are very low in calories and notably rich in vitamins A, C, and K, plus calcium, iron, manganese, and fiber - one of the more nutrient-dense leafy greens. Cook them like spinach in callaloo, stir-fries, soups, and curries; brief cooking softens the leaves and reduces oxalates.