Amaranthus 'Aurora'
Trial: Annual
Years Trialed: 1997
Good Qualities:
Very different from the rest of the stuff I grow. Attracts attention from customers; Would be more suited to landscape work rather than field production.
Problems:
Every leaf had some bug holes and by the time the center colored good, they had ugly blooms or seeds underneath the leaves. First planting all wilted and died within 3 days, have no idea what caused this; Insects were a big problem, flea beetles love this stuff. If I planted later in year the beetles would be less of a problem; Did not germinate; Don't last as a fresh cut and completely shriveled up when dried; It was short and stunted and never got to harvestable stage-possibly weather related. Set seeds before coloring up. I want to try again just to see; No positive comments.
Trial Data
| Yield (stems/plant) | Stem Length (inches) | Market Appreciation Rating (1) | Repeat Again Rating (1) | Ease of Cultivation Rating (1) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average | 0.6 | 28 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 4.3 |
(1) 1 to 5 scale, with 5 being the best. Market ratings are based on sales to wholesalers, retailers, or final consumers direct.
Supplier
Sakata Seed America, Inc.
18095 Serene Dr.
Morgan Hill, CA 95037
Comments:
I tried this twice and it was yuk-o both times; Interesting color.