close up of a leaf.

It's an amaranth. I'm just wondering how it got from my yard to yours ... LOL. It will have beautiful red flowers soon. The variety name is something like "peacock's feather" but I can't find it on Google under that name. And yes they do grow FAST!

I have two kinds of amaranth; that one and Hopi Red that Jolana gave me.

Oooh, pretty, it looks like red leaf vegetable amaranth maybe. Amaranths do grow like a magic beanstalk, lol

Ragna, are you thinking of a Prince's feather?

I just got a Tricolor Splendens Perfecta for the 4th of July, lol

Jolana, it may be. It was some kind of feather ... :-)

Here's some photos of the flowers:
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Every plant has a story! I saw it growing at Antique Rose Emporium in Brenham years ago and loved how being tall it made a good 'back of the border' plant. Later I saw it growing at ARE in San Antonio, but they didn't have it for sale. They said it was a volunteer. When I (practically) got down on my knees and begged for seeds the kind sales lady shook some out in her hand and handed them to me. I transferred them to my pocket and have grown it ever since. I never have to worry about saving seed because they volunteer quite readily. I just pull what I don't want.

Jolana, I wasted no time looking up your new amaranth bought in honor of the 4th of July! Oh my goodness -- it is gorgeous!

Well, the firecrackers have started. The dogs are thrilled ... LOL

Here is a link that might be useful: A. Tricolor Splendens Perfecta ...

Hahahaha, I love how your stories of *acquiring* seeds never have the word *snatched* in the story, LOL
OXO

That is beautiful and I would have begged for those seeds but seeds just *hop* into my pockets. I'm always shocked on laundry day when I find them in my pockets

Kathy, I hope it's the one Ragna has, it is so pretty . I hope you like amaranths, 'cause when it blooms, you will have them, lol

This post was edited by jolanaweb on Fri, Jul 4, 14 at 22:57

I knew I could count on y'all! Thanks.

Jolana, you know I am an honest woman, but I just can't keep those jumping seeds from attacking me when I walk by ... LOL Some of my best plants have attached themselves to me that way.

Kathy, Jolana is right. You will have lots of them next year, so be sure you really want it. Many amaranths have larger flowers such as Hopi red. I really, really like that one for the very red leaves and dark red flowers.

Hopi red:

Wanted to show you the Hopi red flowers. I'll have seeds if anybody wants them.

(Wish somebody would move the cactus out of the way ... ;-)

Kathy will enjoy that cactus being in the pic, LOL
I wish you could see mine, it is taller than I am

The leaves on that amaranth are very tasty and can be stir fried or dropped into any dish. I have been eating them all summer. Mine is 5 ' tall. I do not think it is the one with the red flowers shown by Ragna. I think it s an eteble one that has larger tastier leaves. It also will make nice flowers. I guess the blooms will tell us.

You may be right Mara. I don't have the edible one to compare it with.

The hopi red leaf is an edible variety to. I think they are all edible. Some might fast better than others. I never really STUDIED it. I planted some and they just volunteer year to year. I have an all green and a partial red leafed variety. . I can't take a photo right now. I am fighting Fire ants IN THE HOUSE.

Roselee: I believe your "feather" plant is celosia spicata "Flamingo Feather".

Several years ago I grew what looked like Hopi in my garden. I babied it and was so thrilled with the beautiful deep red and the height it added to the bed. Then I began to notice the seeds - thousands and thousands - and yanked it out. Too late! The next year I removed a carpet of red seedlings. Now, several years later, I still find them sprouting here and there.

Wish it wasn't so prolific for me because it's striking in the garden.

Juneroses, you got the right bird feather there! THANK YOU! I'm not going crazy after all ... LOL

My Hopi red is growing over gravel underlaid with landscape fabric, and my flower beds are heavily mulched so thank goodness I don't get that many seedlings. Otherwise, I'm sure I would. So yes, use caution on how and where you grow it. I don't have anything else that gives me the gorgeous red foliage that I enjoy so much. But maybe some of the sun coleus would do the trick.

Ragna, I would like some seed off of both the hopi red and the other non amaranth

Okay Mara, I'll put your name down for them. I'm terrible with names and keep calling my celosia an amaranth, but it seems they are at least in the same family ... LOL

Internet: "Celosia is a small genus of edible and ornamental plants in the amaranth family, Amaranthaceae."

When I grew that plant years ago it was called Thai celosia or something like that. Why , I don't know. Celosias are a New world plant.The best ID I can get on Celosia argentea var spicata ( and then they say spicata is a group) on DG. I guess I can't give the URL here. Now it's common names are Flaming flamingos, Cramer,s celosia, Wheatstraw celosia.

oh wow! beautiful!

Plants and butterflies both are really beautiful. Great photography.

Mary

Hi Roselee, I would like some of your seeds also. I could send you seeds of my elephant head amaranthus if you don't already have it. I also have another one with yellow blooms, but can't remember the name. Thanks!

Darlene

Darlene, I thought maybe I had your address, but don't find it so just send it to me and I'll send some seeds.

It is celosia spicata. It does grow just about as tall as amaranthus and is ofent mistaken for that.
Molly