Love Lies Bleeding
Also known as: Amaranthus caudatus
What's special about Love Lies Bleeding
Iconic dangling 24 in ropes of deep magenta-red tassels on 4–5 ft plants. Dries beautifully.
Growing this variety
Love Lies Bleeding follows the same growing basics as Amaranth. Variety-specific maturity above; everything else below applies to the whole Amaranth family.
Germination
Spacing & depth
How to plant
Barely press tiny seed into damp, warm soil — do not cover. Thin ruthlessly; crowded plants stay stunted. Cut flower plumes when the top third is fully colored for longest vase life.
Grower's tip
Both an ornamental cut flower and a grain crop. Young leaves are edible like spinach. Self-seeds aggressively.
Good to know before you grow this
Can spread aggressively and is invasive in some regions — check your local invasive-species list before planting.
Soil preferences
Well-drained garden soil. Native/wildflower species prefer lean soil; cutting flowers prefer richer beds.
6.0–7.0
Work 1 in of compost into beds before sowing. Skip nitrogen fertilizer on wildflowers — it favors foliage over blooms.
Watering
1 in per week during establishment, drought-tolerant once rooted for most species.
Deep, infrequent soakings at the base. Overhead water on ornamentals promotes botrytis and rust.
Overwatered: rotted crowns, mildew, floppy stems. Underwatered: small blooms, curled leaves, quick fade.
Prefers top-watering — Top-water (overhead or rain) — grains are wind-pollinated and tolerate wet foliage. Water deeply and infrequently.
Temperature tolerance
60–80°F (16–27°C) ideal for most annuals
50–65°F (10–18°C)
Cool-season annuals (larkspur, poppy, snapdragon) tolerate light frost; warm-season annuals (zinnia, cosmos, marigold) are frost-tender.
Container growing
Possible with the right cultivar
8–14 in (20–35 cm) wide
Compact and dwarf types do best in pots; tall cutting flowers need staking.
Succession planting
Sow cutting flowers (zinnia, cosmos, sunflower) every 3 weeks through midsummer for continuous cut stems.
Detailed harvesting
Cut in early morning when stems are turgid. For cutting varieties, harvest when the bud is just showing color and 1–2 outer petals have opened.
Post-harvest storage & preservation
Immediately re-cut stems underwater and place in clean cool water for 4 hrs before arranging. Petals can be dried on screens for potpourri or crafts.
Culinary, medicinal & other uses
Cut flowers, dried arrangements, pollinator habitat.
Medicinal or traditional uses are shared for interest only — this is not medical advice. Consult a qualified professional before using any plant medicinally.
Seed saving
Mostly insect-pollinated (outcrossing).
For pure strains, isolate 150–800 ft or bag heads. Wildflower mixes are meant to cross freely.
Stop deadheading favorite blooms; let heads dry brown and rattling on the stem, then collect into a paper bag.
Your zone's planting calendar
Pick your USDA hardiness zone and we'll estimate the key dates for amaranth in your area. These are regional averages — always check your own last-frost forecast before sowing.
My Love Lies Bleeding Amaranth notes
Love Lies Bleeding Amaranth seeds on hand
Track packets and loose seeds you already have. Private to your account.
Par level — leave at 0 for no alert. Anything below par shows on Seed Starting and your shopping list.
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Other Amaranth varieties
Red Army
90 daysUpright 5–6 ft plant with dense burgundy plumes. Vigorous cut-flower and grain type.
Emerald Tassels
85 daysChartreuse-green trailing tassels — the green counterpart to Love Lies Bleeding. Cool foil for hot palettes.
Hopi Red Dye
100 daysTraditional Southwestern grain amaranth with deep-red foliage and plumes. Tasseled seed heads yield edible grain.
Golden Giant
100 daysGrain-type amaranth — massive golden seed heads on 6–7 ft plants yielding up to a pound of pale, mild grain per plant. Top choice for home grain harvest.
Red Leaf
50 days for greensVegetable amaranth grown for tender crimson-and-green edible leaves — cooked like spinach in Asian and Caribbean kitchens. Harvest young.