Saturday 15 January 2011

Time to harvest the seeds from the globe amaranth

One of the favorite flowers of my garden this year was the globe amaranth (gomphrena globosa). It had an amazing color, with a lot of flowers and buttons.

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Globe amaranth is definitely one of my favorites


Funny thing, globe amaranth it is native back at my country, but I didn't knew the plant until I got to japan. They are very common here. Usually they are grown in gardens as cut flowers, but it is also normal to see them as a urban wild flower. I have seen many growing on some sidewalks or on the ground patch around the train tracks.

Their name here is 千日紅 (せんにちこう), which translates something like a thousand days red. I think is a perfect name, because flower's color last so long. Even now that mines were so dried the little globes still have very vibrant colors.

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My globe amaranth was almost completely gone


Because I liked them so much, I wanted to have it again next season. So I decided to harvest some seeds from my plant. I wanted to wait until the plant dried completely by itself. But I don't really had the space, so when I moved things around to make space for the new rack I had to take it out.

I took out the heads from the dead flowers and save them apart to let them finish dry. I could tell many of the lower seeds were ready to pick but they still had a bit of moisture on the tip of the flowers. I think is best if I wait a bit longer to set them apart. I really hope they will grow well next season and bloom as nicely as this past ones.

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I will store this Globe amaranth seeds after they dry


I would recommend to any gardener to have some on their garden. Because of their height I think they will make very nice background flowers. It is a beautiful plant, very hardy and with blooms that last forever. They even add a nice touch of color even when they are dry.


And remember, the carnival is on the 17th!

Be ready with a post about what do you plan on doing at your garden this year, maybe about one particular plant you want to have, a renovation you will do, a special patch you will grow, a new gardening technique you will give a try, or any other project you have prepared for this new year.

24 comments:

  1. I have dried globe amaranths in the past to use as dried flowers in a vase.

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  2. I don't think I've come across these flowers before.

    Lucy

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  3. P.S. Did you make the little gadget with the pot and plant for linking to twitter, email etc.? It's delightful.

    Lucy

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  4. These flowers look very pretty, even when dry. I also don't think that I have seen them before.

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  5. They do make good dried flowers, so much you can do with them. I will be checking to see what you do.

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  6. I have never tried these before but I hope to do so soon. Good luck with your home-grown seeds!

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  7. Funny that you have to cross an ocean to encounter a plant that was native to Mexico! Still, Mexico is a huge place, and the amaranths might had a limited distribution, like the thousands of California plants that live only in their specialized niches...

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  8. Since that flower is an Amaranth, can you eat it??? I know that there are various edible varieties of Amaranth.

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  9. I recognise that. Always too little space. But I agree, they look very nice.

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  10. Beautiful little globe amaranth flowers. I hope you will be able to grow them again next season from the seeds you've collected.

    It is indeed amusing that after we leave our native country and settle to a new place, that's when we discover and appreciate some plants that we didn't use to care about back home. I too have the same experience.

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  11. Are they also call Bachelor's Buttons? I never think much about this plant until reading your post now I am inspired to plant the seeds. I have a whole bag of them given to me by my mother's neighbour.

    cina

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  12. I love globe amaranth, too! I'd almost want to save my seeds as a bowl of blooms like the photo you've displayed -- they dry so well.

    Planning to write a garden goals carnival post for Monday!

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  13. I thought mother in law has that similar flower, now i know its globe amaranth... They have big appetite for flowering...

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  14. I like to grow those, too. I used to pick most of them to dry, but lately, I've been enjoying them in the garden. I love how they hold their blooms for so long. I don't think I've tried to harvest my own seeds before.

    It looks like you live pretty high up. What floor is that?

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  15. So this is how you harvest the seeds from your globe amaranth! Thanks for the tips, i was wondering for some time how to get the seeds from my plant. Arigatou!!

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  16. This reminds me that I want to try this plant. I did sow seeds a couple years ago, but none came up. I think even the dried seedheads in the bowl are really pretty.

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  17. I would like to have a go growing this plant as well. It really will brighten up any garden with its bright colour.

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  18. I had a go at saving seeds from a tomato plant last year. I'm anxious to see if they germinate this year as it's the first time I've saved seeds from anything. I left a comment on your previous post but it hasn't shown up, I think Blogger may have been playing games.

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  19. Thank you very much! I still have to pick the seeds apart, but they are big enough so I think it will be easier.

    Lucy ~ I did it myself, I am glad you liked it.

    James ~ I think they have it in the south of mexico, not sure. But is funny because here it is such a common plant.

    Mark ~ The amaranth is just the common name, not really related. But, It would be so cool it would be if you could eat it as well.

    Cina ~ yes they are also know as bachelor button! I hope you can grow them, they are very nice.

    Sue ~ I am on the 10th floor, quite windy and not many butterflies or others come all the way up here, but at least we get a nice dose of sun.

    Milka ~ Each flower head has a bunch of seeds. You can recognize them as the dried spikes that have the dark point inside.

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  20. I also like the blooms of the Globe Amaranth -- it stays so long through the season. Good for you to collect the seeds.
    Will try to get a posting done, we are blanketed in with snow...still!

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  21. Pretty globe amaranth. We called them "bozo" in Hawaii. I wonder where that name came from? Beautiful!!

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  22. Is it edible since it is called Amaranth?Locally we it call 'bunga butang' or as cinafong said 'bachelor's button'. I think they are easy to grow and self-seeded if they are planted on flower beds.

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  23. Is anyone selling globe amaranth flower?

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  24. Thanks you!

    p3chandan ~ This one is not edible, i think, very easy to grow like you said.

    prativa ~ They are very common here, also I have a bunch of seeds, do you need some?

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