Hopi Red Dye Amaranth (Amaranthus Cruentus)

Add bold beauty and cultural richness to your garden with Hopi Red Dye Amaranth — an heirloom plant grown for centuries by the Hopi people of the American Southwest. With stunning deep red stems and flowers, this plant is as ornamental as it is meaningful, offering natural dye, edible leaves, and striking visual drama.

Plant Height:
4–6 feet tall (can reach up to 8 feet in ideal conditions)

Growing Zone:
Grown as an annual in all zones
(Reseeds easily in warm climates)

Sun Requirements:
Full sun

Ease of Growing:
Very easy – heat-tolerant and drought-resistant once established

Why Grow Hopi Red Dye Amaranth?
This heirloom variety is treasured for its vivid magenta-red coloring, traditionally used by the Hopi people to dye ceremonial cornbread. Beyond its cultural significance, the plant is a powerhouse in the garden: the young leaves are nutritious and edible (similar to spinach), and its towering flower plumes attract pollinators and make excellent cut or dried flowers.

It also produces seeds that, while smaller than grain amaranth varieties, can be harvested and eaten like quinoa — or left for songbirds to enjoy in the fall.

Growing Tips:

• Sow directly into warm soil after frost; germinates quickly.

• Thin seedlings to allow airflow and space for stalks to mature.

• Pinch tops for bushier growth, or let it grow tall for a single bold plume.

• Tolerates poor soil, but thrives in compost-enriched beds.

• Harvest dye from young flower heads for strongest colo