Growing Amaranth (Chinese Spinach): A Heat-Loving Summer Green That's Both Beautiful and Edible
Last summer, browsing a nursery, I came across a plant with red and green leaves labeled simply "spinach." I'd never heard of it, but my garden is 75% experimental at all times — so home it came.
That's how I met amaranth.
Also called Chinese spinach, amaranth isn't spinach at all — it's its own ancient grain-and-greens plant, grown for centuries across Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Depending on the variety, the leaves run anywhere from deep green to wine-red to a streaked mix of both, with a mild, earthy flavor somewhere between spinach and beet greens.
I was immediately in love.
Thrives Where Others Wilt
My observations are that the hotter the summer gets, the larger and happier this plant is. It's a stunner in August, September and October when other plants are often winding down.
It also prunes like a dream: chop the top off, and it branches out on all sides, growing bushier with every harvest. A true cut-and-come-again crop.
And OH THE COLOR! My first year, the leaves had a green outer edge with wine-red centers. This year, a volunteer plant came up entirely deep wine-red — creating vibrant color throughout my garden.
Growing Amaranth, Chinese Spinach adds a Little Flair
I usually tuck this plant into my garden in July or August, so it begins to thrive in September as other plants are starting to fade. Depending on how I prune, it grows tall as a bold vertical accent or bushy as a fuller color block — either way, it's stunning in my garden's hottest spot, right alongside the rich greens of corn, melons, and basil. Then I let a few go to flower, so they can self-seed for next year's surprise.
Ready for Salad
But amaranth isn't just a salad green.
Treat the older leaves like spinach, chard, or beet greens — sauté and fold into eggs, add to soups or pastas, or blanch and freeze for use like spinach all winter long. Red varieties can turn your cooking liquid a striking pink.
Bonus: it also makes a natural dye for food or paper projects.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Growing Amaranth "Chinese Spinach"
Is amaranth the same as spinach?
No. Amaranth is sometimes called "Chinese spinach" because of its similar taste and texture, but it's a completely different plant. Unlike true spinach, which is a cool-season crop, amaranth thrives in summer heat.
Can you eat amaranth leaves?
Yes. Young leaves are tender enough to eat raw in salads, while older leaves can be cooked much like spinach, chard, or beet greens — sautéed, added to soups, folded into eggs, or blanched and frozen for later use.
Are amaranth stems edible?
Yes, the tender stems are edible and can be steamed or stir-fried, similar to asparagus.
Is amaranth just a leafy green, or does it flower too?Both. Many gardeners first come across amaranth as an ornamental plant — grown for its long, dramatic flower plumes rather than its leaves. One well-known example is "Love-Lies-Bleeding" (Amaranthus caudatus), prized for its trailing, tassel-like crimson blooms in cottage and cutting gardens. I grow this type of amaranth mainly as a leafy green for the garden and kitchen, though letting a few plants flower is part of the fun too.
Some ornamental amaranth varieties are edible, but not all are bred for good flavor or tender leaves — a few may be tough, bitter, or simply not selected with eating in mind. If you're growing amaranth mainly for its flowers and want to try eating it, it's worth researching the specific variety you have first.
How do you grow amaranth?
Amaranth is easy to grow and thrives in full sun and heat — the more the better. I add mine to the garden in July or August, right as other plants are starting to fade, and give it my garden's hottest spot. Depending on how I prune it, it grows tall as a bold vertical accent or bushy as a fuller color block. It's a true cut-and-come-again crop: chop the top off to harvest, and it branches out on all sides for more.
Does amaranth reseed itself?
Yes. If you let a few plants flower instead of harvesting every leaf, amaranth will drop seed and often return as volunteer plants the following season.
What color are amaranth leaves?
Amaranth leaves range from deep green to vivid wine-red, and many varieties show both colors on the same leaf — a green outer edge with a red or magenta center.
When should I plant amaranth?
Amaranth does best planted in the heat of summer, from July through August, when many cool-season plants are beginning to decline.
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