Joseph's Coat is a striking annual amaranth grown entirely for its electrifying foliage rather than its insignificant flowers. This upright, bushy plant reaches 24 to 48 inches tall and spreads 12 to 24 inches wide, creating a dramatic display of ovate to elliptic leaves that shift from deep green and purple to brilliant splashes of yellow, red, pink, and copper as the season progresses. Hardy from zones 2 to 11 and drought tolerant once established, it thrives in full sun to partial shade and performs with minimal maintenance, making it a striking addition to annual beds, containers, and vegetable gardens where foliage color matters as much as flowers.
Partial Sun
Moderate
2-11
48in H x 24in W
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High
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The leaves of Joseph's Coat can reach up to 10 inches long and feature the kind of chameleon-like color shifts that make gardeners stop and stare, with upper foliage often contrasting sharply from lower leaves in shades of yellow, red, pink, and copper. It germinates reliably in warm soil between 70 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit and handles drought remarkably well once its roots establish. The plant also attracts birds to the garden and seeds itself readily if allowed to mature, giving you the option to save seed for next season or propagate favorite color patterns from cuttings taken in late summer.
Joseph's Coat serves primarily as a dramatic foliage plant in annual flower and vegetable gardens. Its colored leaves are grown for ornamental display rather than culinary harvest, though the plant itself belongs to the amaranth family. The intense, shifting colors make it valued in mixed annual beds, container plantings, and as a living accent plant where you want visual drama without relying on flowers.
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Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost date. Sow seeds in warm soil and maintain temperatures between 70 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit for reliable germination. Transplant seedlings outdoors after your last frost date has passed.
Set out transplants after all danger of frost has passed, spacing smaller varieties 8 to 12 inches apart and larger varieties to 18 inches apart. The plant is frost tender, so wait until soil and air have warmed thoroughly before moving seedlings to the garden.
Harvest seed from mature plants in the garden for planting the following year once the seed heads have dried on the plant. Take cuttings from favorite plants in late summer to propagate outstanding color forms indoors over winter or to share with other gardeners.
Pinching back shoot tips early in the season encourages a bushier, more compact form and intensifies the colored foliage display. If plants become leggy or overgrown during the season, you can cut them back to encourage branching and renewed vigor. No other pruning is necessary beyond removing any dead or damaged growth.
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