Amaranthus Hypochondriacus an Ornamental Plant Known as Prince-of-Wales-feather
PRINCE’S FEATHER
The apple-green shade of Amaranthi hypochondriacus ‘Green Thumb’ goes we with most other colors and is therefoi a useful plant for filling in gaps in border as well as for bouquets. The panicles gro to about 16 in tall and, if sown early, mayt admired from July onwards. They fade latter on in the season and ultimately turn brown They also make useful dried flowers, particularly when picked early in the season. Another cultivar was presumably called Amaranthus hypochondriacus ‘Pygm Torch’ (and not ‘Pigmy Torch,’ as it is featured in most catalogs) because of its small size. The deep-red panicles grow up to 16 in tall and fade to chestnut brown in the course of the season. The leaves, too, turn beautiful colors, especially if the plants are grown in poor soil. They look splendid in vases and as dried flowers.
Amaranthus hypochondriacus is an ornamental plant commonly known as the Prince-of-Wales-feather or Prince’s feather. In Africa, like many other species in the family Amaranthaceae, it is valued as source of food.
