Okite Amaranth is a striking ornamental amaranth from the Rarámuri people of Mexico, prized equally for its brilliant red flowers and edible seeds and leaves. Originally collected from a ranch above Batopilas in the Copper Canyon region, this variety brings both visual drama and nutritional abundance to gardens in zones 2 through 11. The showy red blooms and stems command attention while quietly producing harvestable seeds and tender greens, making it a rare plant that satisfies the eye and the kitchen.
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Moderate
2-11
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Moderate
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Brilliant red flowers and stems create an undeniably striking presence in any garden, while the plant simultaneously produces edible seeds and leaves, bridging ornamental and culinary gardening. Originating from Rarámuri country in Mexico's Barranca del Cobre region, this variety carries the story of a mountain people and their agricultural heritage preserved through careful seed saving. The combination of visual impact and dual-purpose edibility makes this more than just a pretty flower.
Both the seeds and leaves are edible and valued as food. The leaves can be harvested as a nutritious green, cooked like spinach or added fresh to salads. The seeds, once fully mature and dry, can be harvested and used as a grain, ground into flour, or popped like tiny popcorn. This dual-harvest capability makes the plant exceptionally productive from a single planting.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Start seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before your last frost date. Keep soil warm between 65 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit for best germination. Transplant seedlings into individual containers once they develop their first true leaves, and grow them in a warm, sunny location indoors until they're ready to move outside.
Harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days. Transplant outdoors only after all danger of frost has passed and soil has warmed; this plant is frost-tender and will not tolerate cold. Space plants 12 to 18 inches apart in full sun.
Direct sow seeds outdoors after all frost danger has passed and soil temperature reaches at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Sow seeds thinly where you want them to grow.
For greens, begin harvesting leaves once the plant is 6 to 8 inches tall, pinching or cutting leaves from the top and upper stems to encourage bushier growth. Continue harvesting leaves throughout the season. For seeds, wait until the flower heads fully mature and turn brown and papery; this typically occurs in late summer or early fall. Cut the entire seed head and hang it upside down in a dry location to finish ripening, then rub the heads between your hands over a container to release the tiny seeds.
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“Okite Amaranth originates from the Rarámuri (Tarahumara) people of northern Mexico, who have cultivated this variety in the dramatic landscape of the Barranca del Cobre, or Copper Canyon. The specific plants that form the basis of today's Okite seeds were originally collected from a ranch situated above Batopilas, an old silver mining town nestled along the Rio Batopilas at the canyon's floor. Native Seeds/SEARCH, the organization that maintains this variety in their Seed Bank Collection, preserved these seeds as part of their mission to protect traditional crop diversity from indigenous communities. The journey from the mountains of Rarámuri country to modern gardens represents an act of cultural preservation and seed stewardship.”