Help with identification please

Ok a question for someone. Two years ago I planted what were supposed to be four o'clocks but very soon became apparent that it wasn't. They grew to be very tall stalks with a pretty violet purple plume on top. My aunt called them cattails. They were annuals and died shortly after blooming. Now two years later and after the recent wet/cool snap these are coming up in my yard by the dozens. I still have no idea what they are or why they decided to come up now. Anybody with ideas?



This message was edited Oct 16, 2009 11:23 PM

Here's another pic

It's vegetable amaranth, Amaranthus retroflexus.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/64309/

Not sure that I agree Betty. From the description the blooms are white. The ones that I had were violet. However, I'm just assuming that it's the same thing that I had a couple of years ago. I does look similiar to the ones that I had. And if it's the same that I had a couple of years ago, they were well over 3 ft. tall. Don't know though I'll go out tomorrow and taste a little nip just to see if it's palatable. Not enough to kill me if I'm wrong. lol

This message was edited Oct 16, 2009 9:09 PM

There are tall and very beautiful types of amaranthus that are sold as annual flowers. I have grown a few and your pick looks like something from that group.

Cheryl

Where do you get seeds for vegetable amaranth? I would love to grow a edible green that can tolerate our heat.

As for you pics, they do look something like the link bettydee sent. But like I said there are a good number of ornamental plants that are amaranths. I grew one that had purple leaves and a huge dark burgendy plume and it grew over 3ft. tall.
Cheryl

Cheryl
Yeah I always thought it was some type of amanthus and the one you described with the burgandy plume sounds right. Betty, I still haven't gotten out the to taste but will do so in a few. Thank you all for the responses.

Anne

Looks like some kind of Coleus to me.

No, coleus I know. It's a flat smooth texture. Coleus is thicker and a bit fuzzy.

http://www.stoneypointflowers.com/Full%20Pics/late%20summer/Cool%20Annuals%207%20amaranths%20-%20.jpg
check out these amaranths

I had some that got 5 feet tall four years ago and they still come up now and then.
Charlene

The front row looks like them. Are they edible?

I didn't try any, but they are listed as edible.
Charlene

Except the leaves don't appear to to have the purple blotches found on the leaves in your photo.