Trailing Amaranth
Coral Fountain Amaranth is a stunning ornamental grain that transforms the summer garden into a cascade of peach, coral, and amber hues. This heat-loving annual produces dramatic drooping plumes that deepen in color as fall approaches, reaching 36 to 48 inches tall and blooming reliably from June through November in zones 10 and 12. From seed to first bloom takes roughly 84 days, making it fast enough for even shorter growing seasons, while its drought tolerance and low water needs mean it thrives on neglect once established. The variety represents amaranth's evolution from purely nutritious grain to ornamental spectacle, selected specifically for those cascading, showy flower heads that make it a living fountain of color.
Tubifex(CC BY-SA 3.0)
Full Sun
Low
10-12
48in H x 24in W
Annual
Moderate
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The cascading plumes distinguish Coral Fountain from the upright, spike-form amaranths more gardeners know. These drooping flower heads emerge in soft peach tones and deepen to rich coral and amber as temperatures cool, creating a multi-hued display across several months of bloom. Its extreme drought tolerance and ability to produce such visual drama on minimal water and fertilizer make it refreshingly low-maintenance for a plant this showstopping.
Coral Fountain is grown almost exclusively for ornamental display. The cascading plumes work beautifully in fresh or dried flower arrangements, where their color deepens during drying. Many gardeners grow them as focal points in summer and fall gardens, or harvest and dry the entire plumes for indoor decoration through winter. The flowers can be left standing in the garden long after bloom for fall and winter visual interest.
Start seeds indoors six weeks before your last spring frost. Sow thinly into seed-starting mix in pots, barely covering with 1/16 inch of soil. Keep soil evenly moist and maintain temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a humidity dome over containers or sprinkle a thin layer of vermiculite on top to prevent damping off. Germination typically occurs within 3 to 14 days.
Transplant seedlings outdoors after your last frost date once soil has warmed. Harden off plants gradually over several days before moving them to their permanent location. Space plants two to six inches apart with ten inches between rows.
Direct sow seeds after your last frost date outdoors, barely covering seeds with 1/16 inch of soil.
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“Amaranth itself is one of humanity's oldest crops, used for thousands of years as both grain and ornamental. While many amaranth cultivars have been selected for seed yield and climate adaptation, Coral Fountain represents a deliberate breeding choice to emphasize ornamental beauty over agricultural efficiency. This shift reflects a broader movement in twentieth-century seed development toward ornamental vegetables and grains, where plants were engineered for visual impact in flower gardens rather than production in fields. Coral Fountain's specific selection for those characteristic cascading plumes positions it within that tradition of ornamental grain breeding.”