Golden Giant Amaranth is a towering heirloom grain and flower that produces luminous golden-bronze plumes reaching 3 to 6 feet tall. This ancient crop, treasured across continents for millennia, yields up to a pound of nutrient-dense white seeds per plant alongside edible leaves, all while demanding minimal water and thriving in full sun. At 90 to 110 days to maturity, it bridges the gap between ornamental drama and serious food production, connecting modern gardeners to the sun-loving, seed-saving traditions that have sustained humanity for thousands of years.
Full Sun
Low To Moderate
2-11
60in H x 15in W
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Low
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Golden Giant's most striking feature is its sheer abundance: each plant produces golden flowering heads so heavy with seed that a single mature specimen yields up to a pound of white seeds packed with protein. The seeds cook in multiple ways, popping like popcorn or simmering into porridge, while the young leaves work beautifully as cooked greens. Growing to 6 feet in ideal conditions, this variety stands as an easy-to-grow annual that thrives on neglect once established, asking only for full sun and well-draining soil.
Golden Giant serves dual purposes as both a productive food crop and an ornamental. The abundant white seeds can be popped like popcorn for a light, crispy snack, cooked into porridge for a nutritious breakfast grain, or ground into flour. The young leaves work beautifully as cooked greens with a mild, pleasant flavor. For cut flower arrangements, the massive golden-bronze plumes add drama and height; harvest in the morning when flowers are freshest and condition with a drop of bleach in the vase to extend their beauty.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Start seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before your last frost date. Maintain soil temperatures between 70 to 85°F and expect germination within 6 to 15 days. Cover seeds lightly with soil; they need light to germinate successfully. Provide plenty of bright light to prevent leggy seedlings.
Transplant seedlings outdoors after the last frost date when soil has warmed and nighttime temperatures stay above 60°F. Harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days. Space transplants 12 inches apart in rows 12 inches apart.
Direct sow seeds outdoors after the last frost date and when soil temperature reaches 70°F or warmer. Sow seeds shallowly, pressing them lightly into prepared soil. Thin seedlings to 12 inches apart once they are 2 to 3 inches tall.
For grain harvest, allow plants to mature fully; seeds are ready when the flower heads dry completely and turn golden-brown, typically at 90 to 110 days from planting. Cut the entire head with a sharp knife and hang upside down in a dry, airy location to cure for 2 to 3 weeks. Thresh by rubbing dried heads by hand or between your palms to release the seeds, then winnow to remove chaff. For fresh-cut flowers, harvest in the morning when plumes are at their freshest and petals are just opening. For young greens, harvest leaves anytime during the growing season before the plant reaches full maturity.
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“Amaranth belongs to a genus found on every continent except Antarctica and has served humanity as a dietary staple for thousands of years. Over centuries, farmers and seed savers selected and reselected plants specifically for three traits: edible grains, nutritious leaves, and colorful flowering heads. Golden Giant represents this ancient lineage of intentional cultivation, preserving both the agricultural wisdom and the genetic potential of these remarkable plants. Today it connects modern growers to the deep history of human agriculture and the practice of honoring our relationship with plants through careful seed stewardship.”