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Amaranthus tricolor

Authority L. Family Magnoliopsida:Caryophyllidae:Caryophyllales:Amaranthaceae Synonyms Amaranthus gangeticus L., Amaranthus mangostanus L., Amaranthus melancholicus L., Amaranthus oleraceus Burm.f., Amaranthus tristis L. Common names Editor Ecocrop code 2190

Notes
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Herbaceous spineless plant reaching 30-60 cm in height. The leaves are 4-10 cm in length, elliptic to lanceolate, dark green, light green or red. It has a terminal head of bright coloured leaves, which may be red, purple, yellow or variegated. USES Leaves are used as vegetables and it may be planted as an ornamental. GROWING PERIOD Annual, may be harvested 30-50 days from sowing or 15-20 days from transplanting. If the plant is cut back and not uprooted it may continue to grow for 120-300 days, and provide successive harvests. COMMON NAMES Chinese amaranth, Tampala, Chinese spinach, Yin-choy, Amaranth, Amarante, Bayam, Kulitis, Phti, Phak khom suan, Rau den. FURTHER INF Scientific synonym: A. gangeticus, A. oleraceus, A. tristis, A. mangostanus. Chinese amaranth is a tropical vegetable native of South-East Asia that thrives in coastal areas during the summer months. It can be found at elevations between sea level and 800 m. Adapted to low to medium humidity. The yield may be 20-25 t/ha if the entire plant is harvested or 30-60 t/ha with successional harvesting of shoots. With a normal yield of 25 t/ha in 8 weeks about 125 kg N, 25 kg P, 250 kg K, 75 kg Ca and 40 kg Mg may be taken up from the soil. Photosynthesis pathway C4.
Sources
SOURCES (A. tricolor L.) Hartmann T 1983 pp 36 Roecklein J 1987 pp 482 [USE] Duke J 1975 pp 6 [PH, RAIN, TEMP] Hackett C 1982 pp 25 [FER, PHO, DEP, PH, TEXT, TEMP] Tindall H 1983 pp 38-41 [FER, TEXT, PH, TEMP, PHO] Janick J 1991 pp 211 Hockings E 1961b pp 419 [USE, FER] Westphal E 1989 pp 34-37 [USE, LIG, TEMP, PHO, RAIN, FER, DRA, TEXT]