This popular ornamental has long streaming magenta flowers that are very nice as a long lasting cut flower. Love Lies Bleeding is a great crop in the summer heat and tolerates neglect very well. Yields tan edible seeds with a slight pink hue. Occasionally self seeds and can return through volunteers, however it is not weedy like pigweed. This species of amaranth is thought to originate in South America and was used by some indigenous peoples as a grain staple food. 1/2 g ≈ 500 seeds
Sow in pots indoors in April for planting out in May, or direct sow after danger of frost. 12–18″ spacing. Harvest for greens at any time; harvest grain when seeds rub off easily in your hand, but before seed head is crispy dry. Windrow or hang over a tarp to dry for several days, then dance, rub, or shake seeds from seed heads. For larger crops, place dry plants on a tarp and drive on it with a vehicle. Winnow to clean or place seeds in a bowl and make a stirring motion with your arm; chaff rises to the top for easy removal.
Love lies bleeding is an eye-catching annual flower that produces long, cascading blooms resembling red tassels. Also known as amaranth or tassel flower, love lies bleeding makes a striking addition to flower gardens borders, containers or cut flower arrangements. The good news is this exotic-looking beauty is easy to grow yourself directly from seed.
When to Plant Love Lies Bleeding Seeds
Love lies bleeding thrives once temperatures warm up as it cannot tolerate frost or cold weather. There are two options for starting love lies bleeding from seed – indoors or direct sowing outdoors.
Starting Indoors
You can get a head start on the growing season by starting love lies bleeding seeds indoors 4-6 weeks before your expected last spring frost date Provide strong light from a sunny window or grow lights Maintain temperatures around 65-70°F until seedlings are ready to be hardened off and transplanted outside.
Direct Sowing Outdoors
Once nighttime temperatures remain above 50°F and the soil has warmed up, you can sow love lies bleeding seeds directly in the garden. Successive sowings every 2-3 weeks will prolong the flowering period.
How to Grow Gorgeous Love Lies Bleeding from Seeds
Follow these simple steps for eye-catching blooms:
Indoor Starting
-
Fill starter pots or trays with seed starting mix. Moisten the soil well.
-
Plant 1 seed per cell, covering 1⁄4-1⁄2 inch deep.
-
Keep the soil evenly moist and provide ample light.
-
Harden off and transplant outdoors after last frost, spacing plants 18-24 inches apart.
Direct Sowing Outdoors
-
Prepare a garden bed with fertile, well-drained soil and full sun.
-
Sow seeds 1⁄4-1⁄2 inch deep and 18-24 inches apart in rows or groups.
-
Keep soil evenly moist until seeds germinate in 7-14 days.
-
Thin overcrowded seedlings for proper spacing.
Growing and Caring for Love Lies Bleeding
Once your love lies bleeding is established, follow these care tips:
-
Provide at least 6 hours of direct sun daily. Love lies bleeding thrives in full sun.
-
Water regularly, about 1-2 inches per week. Reduce frequency if rains are abundant.
-
Stake tall varieties as needed for support.
-
Pinch back tip growth to encourage bushy plants.
-
Harvest flowers for floral arrangements or drying when bloom tassels fully form.
-
Allow some blooms to go to seed for reseeding and wild birds to enjoy.
Troubleshooting Love Lies Bleeding Problems
Love lies bleeding is not prone to many issues when given suitable growing conditions. Potential problems to watch for include:
-
Leggy growth – This indicates plants need more light.
-
Aphids – Control with insecticidal soap or neem oil.
-
Powdery mildew – Improve air circulation between plants.
With its cascading crimson tassels and easy care nature, love lies bleeding is a stellar way to add bold color and unique texture to gardens, arrangements and landscapes. Growing these beauties from seed yourself is simple and rewarding. The gorgeous dangling blooms will be a sensational focal point all season long.
Types of Love-Lies-Bleeding
The Amaranthus genus has at least 60 annual and perennial species that easily cross-breed and hybridize. Love-lies-bleeding foliage often comes in an attractive pale green. The love-lies-bleeding Amaranthus cultivar Tricolor has multi-colored foliage and is sometimes called Josephs Coat. Viridis and Green Thumb cultivars have green tassels. Here are a few other varieties:
- Coral Fountain has wooly, pink, or blush flowers that cascade like a waterfall. This heirloom variety blooms mid to late summer until the first frost and mingles well in bouquets. Growing 3 to 5 feet tall, it thrives in full sun in USDA Zones 2 through 11.
- Dreadlocks has magenta-colored blooms and sturdy stems. Blooming from late summer to fall, it grows a humble 3 to 4 feet tall. Like Coral Fountain, Dreadlocks is hardy in USDA Zones 2 through 11.
- Fat Spike are 3 to 4 feet tall with thick, erect spikes of deep reddish purple rising above the medium green foliage.
- Golden Giant has thick, pendulous flower stalks with golden flowers on 4-foot-tall plants.
Deadheading Love-Lies-Bleeding Flowers
In addition to encouraging the production of more floral sprays, deadheading also removes the risk of the plant self-seeding.
Amaranth Love Lies Bleeding / Starting Seeds For Spring In Milk Jugs Easy…
FAQ
How long does it take for Love-Lies-Bleeding to germinate?
(1) Germination occurs between 70-85°F and within 6-15 days. Sow indoors and cover lightly.
Can you eat Love-Lies-Bleeding seeds?
If you get tired of looking at your Love Lies Bleeding, you can always eat it. Both the leaves and the seeds are edible, and are popular in India, Africa, and South America. Unfortunately, deer and rabbits also relish the plants.
How to get seeds from Love-Lies-Bleeding?
Seed Saving: The flower tassels will begin to dry and turn a slightly different color when the seed is ripe. Love-Lies-Bleeding plant seed can vary in color, but usually is pinkish red. Strip the mature seed from the stems and winnow it to remove the chaff. Store Amaranthus Caudatus seeds in a cool, dry place.
What to plant with Love-Lies-Bleeding?
This dramatic annual is easy to grow, sun loving and drought-tolerant. The large plants make striking garden companions to taller flowers like Sunflowers or Tithonia.
Can you grow Love Lies Bleeding from seed?
Growing love lies bleeding is also a great way of growing your own wild bird food – birds love to eat the seeds. Despite its exotic looks, love lies bleeding is easy to grow from seed. Either sow under cover in early spring for early summer colour or direct in the soil outdoors.
How do you grow Love Lies Bleeding?
Soil: Love-lies-bleeding grows best in moist but well-draining soil that is rich in organic matter. For best results, amend your soil by completing some mulching in the winter months before planting.
Are Love Lies Bleeding seeds edible?
Love-lies-bleeding seeds are edible and grown as a grain crop in parts of South America. It is also used in Africa to make beer, porridge, flour, and sprouted seeds are used as a vegetable in Peru and Ethiopia. It is gluten-free. Everlasting flowers retain their color and can be dried and included in attractive arrangements.
Does Love Lies Bleeding reseed?
Love Lies Bleeding is an annual flowering plant. It does however reseed easily, and may confuse some gardeners if they see it growing again the next year. These second year plants are actually volunteers, which have reseeded, and which can be left to grow and use in flower arrangements.
What are the seeds of Love Lies Bleeding?
The seeds of Love Lies bleeding are very small and round, and the varieties that we grew had seeds which ranged in colour from beige to pink. Although the seeds were tiny, I did not find them difficult to handle once I figured out a way that worked well.
Can Love Lies Bleeding be planted in the garden?
Planted in the garden it makes an interesting specimen, especially if grown to it’s full height. We grow Love Lies Bleeding mainly to use as cut flowers. For us, companion plants to grow with these flowers are those which would look wonderful in the vase with these blooms.