Amaranthus tricolor or Joseph's Coat is an annual bedding plant with an upright habit and cane like stems.The distinctive feature of this plant is the foliage which grows spirally along the stem.The leaves are irregularly shaped and red with a yellow tip.This species does flower but, unlike Amaranthus caudatus, the flowers are inconspicuous and not a decorative feature of the plant.This is a great plant for providing spectacular foliage colour and goes well in mixed borders as well as at the front of shrubberies
It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 22 - 30°c, but can tolerate 8 - 45°c. It can be killed by temperatures of 4°c or lower
No members of this genus are known to be poisonous, but when grown on nitrogen-rich soils they are known to concentrate nitrates in the leaves. This is especially noticeable on land where chemical fertilizers are used. Nitrates are implicated in stomach cancers, blue babies and some other health problems. It is inadvisable, therefore, to eat this plant if it is grown inorganically.
