Ornamental Edible Green
Molten Fire Amaranth is a striking heirloom variety of Amaranthus tricolor that grows 42 inches tall with dramatic foliage and summer blooms arriving in 84 days from seed. This frost-tender annual thrives across all hardiness zones when grown as a warm-season plant, demanding full sun and minimal water once established. The deep color in its name hints at the fiery appearance that makes it a standout ornamental, earning space in gardens where both visual drama and drought tolerance matter.
Full Sun
Low
1-11
42in H x 24in W
Annual
Moderate
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Molten Fire Amaranth delivers intense visual impact with coloring that justifies its name, reaching a substantial 42 inches tall within a single season. Its drought tolerance means once established, it asks for roughly an inch of water weekly until it's self-sufficient, freeing you from constant attention in hot weather. The combination of heirloom genetics, reliable summer flowering from June through August, and adaptability to any hardiness zone (grown seasonally) makes this a genuinely low-maintenance ornamental that refuses to fade into the garden background.
Molten Fire Amaranth is grown primarily as an ornamental flower for its dramatic summer display. The plant delivers visual interest through its distinctive coloring and form, making it well-suited for mixed flower beds, borders, and gardens where bold color and texture are desired during the warmest months.
Start seeds indoors six weeks before your last frost date. Sow thinly into seed-starting mix in containers, keeping soil evenly moist by placing a humidity dome over them or sprinkling a thin layer of vermiculite on top until germination begins. Maintain temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit; seeds typically sprout in 3 to 14 days.
Transplant seedlings outdoors after all frost danger has passed and soil has warmed. Harden off plants gradually by exposing them to outdoor conditions over several days before final planting.
Direct sow outdoors after your last frost date once soil temperatures have warmed to at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
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