Amaranthus Cruentus Autumn’s Touch

Amaranthus Cruentus Autumn’s Touch Seeds

Amaranthus cruentus Autumn’s Touch is a striking ornamental variety of amaranth known for its tall, upright growth and uniquely colored flower plumes. Reaching heights of 4 to 5 feet, this annual plant produces large, feathery flower spikes that blend soft green and bronze tones with hints of gold and pink, giving the appearance of a warm autumn palette even in late summer.

The plants reach 90 to 120 cm tall with very large, handsome dark green foliage and thick stems that need no staking. The branching plumes arise in late summer and continue well into autumn. The color shades from intense green at the base to lighter pistachio hues and bronze at the tips.

Colors of individual plants vary, allowing you to choose the perfect stem for your vase. It is upright, needs no staking, no maintenance, and goes with everything.

Beyond its ornamental value, Autumn’s Touch carries genuine culinary and nutritional merit. Both the leaves and seeds are edible and highly nutritious. This species was in use as a food source as early as 4000 BC. The leaves are rich in Vitamin C and iron with a flavor similar to spinach. The gluten-free seeds have a nutty flavor, are high in protein and calcium, and carry 30 per cent more protein value than rice, wheat flour, oats, and rye.

Variety Details

• Botanical Name: Amaranthus cruentus ‘Autumn’s Touch’
• Family: Amaranthaceae
• Common Names: Autumn’s Touch Amaranth — “Autumn Touch”
• Type: Warm-season annual — semi-hardy
• Mature Size: 105–120 cm tall × 75 cm wide
• Flower Color: Bright green spikes maturing to deep bronze-copper
• Days to Flowering: 65–75 days from sowing
• Gulf Flowering Season: October to March

Key Features

• Branching plumes that shift color from intense green at the base to pistachio and bronze at the tips — unusual and highly ornamental.
• Excellent heat and drought tolerance once established.
• Multi-branching with strong stems requiring no staking, providing loads of unusual cut flowers through the season.
• Upright plumes rather than drooping — architectural foliage and flower form.
• Dual use as fresh and dried cut flower.
• Fully edible plant — leaves and seeds both nutritious.
• Self-seeds freely at end of season; attracts songbirds to feast on the seed-rich plumes.

Plant Information

• Sun: Full sun — essential for optimal growth and flowering
• Soil: Average to rich, well-drained soil. In very poor soils, apply a granular organic fertilizer when seedlings reach 15–20 cm.
• Avoid over-fertilizing.
• Watering: About 1 inch per week until fully established, then water only during dry periods.
• Drought-tolerant once mature.
• Staking: Not required — stems are naturally strong
• Pest and Disease: Flea beetles may damage foliage, and plant bugs may affect flower heads.
• Use an organic insecticide if necessary.
• Well-drained soil is essential — wet soils encourage fungal root and stem diseases.
• Pruning: Pinch the central stem to encourage lateral branching.

Seed Germination

• Seeds are sown directly on the surface of a well-drained germination medium, as the seeds require light for germination and should not be covered with soil.
• Press lightly onto the surface to ensure good seed-to-soil contact.
• Maintain consistent moisture without waterlogging by using gentle misting.
• Optimal temperature: 20–25°C. Germination usually occurs within 5–10 days. Once true leaves appear, thin the seedlings or transplant them into larger pots or directly into the garden.
• Germination Rate: 75–85% under ideal conditions
• Days to Germination: 5–14 days

Growing Tips

• In Kuwait, amaranth is truly a warm-season plant — it should be grown as temperatures begin to rise, not when they decline.
• Start seeds indoors in August–September for outdoor planting in October–November.
• In raised beds, prepare a well-draining soil mix with added compost to provide the fertility needed for this large-growing plant. The ideal spacing is 30–45 cm between plants to ensure good air circulation and strong stems.
• Pinching the tip of the main stem when the plant reaches about 30 cm tall encourages branching and increases flower production.
• In Kuwait, plants will usually complete their life cycle by March–April as temperatures rise, so early sowing is recommended to enjoy the longest possible growing season.

Gulf Planting Season

• Indoor sowing: August to September
• Transplanting outdoors: October to November
• Active growing and flowering season: October to March
• Not recommended for outdoor growing: May to August (extreme heat)
• Best treated as a warm-to-cool season annual in Kuwait.
• Unlike temperate climates where it peaks in autumn, in Kuwait it is sown at the start of the season to take advantage of the full October-to-March growing window.
• Thrives in full sun throughout the Gulf winter months.

Garden and Floral Uses

• Makes a fine planting for the rear of the annual border and looks striking silhouetted against brick or painted wood.
  Or place it in the center of a bed as a crown for lower-growing varieties around it.
• When planted in abundance, it is an effective hedge or screening plant.