Amaranthus hypochondriacus , or Prince's Feather, is an herbaceous annual or short-lived perennial plant with showy feathery red flowers often grown as a ornamental. It is commonly viewed as a weed on wasteland as well as on agricultural land. Amaranthus is monoecious (meaning individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant). It is pollinated by wind. Prince's Feather prefers well-drained fertile soil in full sun. It is often cultivated, especially in tropical areas, for its edible leaves and seeds, though it is less often seen in northern climates because it is late maturing.The plant tends to have a clumping habit. Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: Aphids may be a problem. Amaranthus are not poisonous, but when grown on nitrogen-rich soils they can concentrate nitrates in the leaves. Nitrates are implicated in stomach cancers, blue babies and other health problems. It is inadvisable, therefore, to eat this plant if it is grown on land where chemical fertilizers are used.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Growth rate
Medium
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping; Multi-stemmed
Texture
Coarse
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Ovate; Rhomboidal
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Petiole of distal leaves equaling or slightly shorter than blade, becoming longer proximally; blade rhombic-ovate to broadly lanceolate 1 1/2 to 4 inches long by 2 inches wide, larger in robust plants.
Flower color
Red/Burgundy
Flower value
Good Cut; Good Dried; Showy
Flower form
Catkin; Spike
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Flowers appear in dense, erect or pendulous, catkin-like inflorescences in summer and autumn. Predominantly terminal, often with few spikes at distal axils stiff, erect, dark red, purple, or deep beet-red, less commonly yellowish or greenish, leafless at least in distal part, usually robust.
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit color
White
Fruit detail
Seeds can be white, ivory, pinkish white, or black to dark reddish brown, subglobose to lenticular, tiny, smooth, and shiny.
Stem color
Green; Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
Usually erect, green or reddish purple, branched, mainly in inflorescences.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Central United States, Mexico
Distribution
Central and Southern North America.
Wildlife value
Attracts beetles.
Attracts
Butterflies
Play value
Attractive Flowers
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Leaves; Seeds
Harvest time
Fall
Edibility
Young leaves have a mild flavor when cooked like a spinach. The seed can be eaten raw or cooked or used as a cereal substitute. They can also be popped like popcorn. Avoid ingesting if grown on land where chemical fertilizers are used.
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Patio; Walkways
Landscape theme
Cottage Garden
Design feature
Accent; Border
Garden tags
#non-toxic for cats #non-toxic for horses #non-toxic for dogs #colorful #nitrogen fixation #weedy