Amaranthus cruentus 'Giant Copperhead'
Trial: Annual
Years Trialed: 1998
Good Qualities:
Color (3); Extremely long lasting (2); Long stems (2); Dries well; The copper-color was better than the yellow color since it dropped few seeds; Great for fall arrangements; Side stems nice as filler in bouquets; Ease of cultivation B did very well in heat and drought situations, relatively pest & disease free; High germination; Holds color well; Bronze flower and stem, very eye-catching, received a lot of attention from viewers of trial; Thick stems; Impressive.
Problems:
Too big (2); The yellow-gold ones dropped too many seeds; We couldn't give this stuff away B neither to floral customers or at our farmer's markets; Plant looks like a weed.
Trial Data
| Yield (stems/plant) | Stem Length (inches) | Market Appreciation Rating (1) | Repeat Again Rating (1) | Ease of Cultivation Rating (1) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average | 6.0 | 35.5 | 3.3 | 2.8 | 4.4 |
(1) 1 to 5 scale, with 5 being the best. Market ratings are based on sales to wholesalers, retailers, or final consumers direct.
Supplier
Cramers' Posie Patch
116 Trial Rd. N.
Elizabethtown, PA 17022
717-367-9494
FAX 717-367-8666
Comments:
Pinch to encourage large side shoots and remove excessively large center head (3); Similar to red root (pig weed) (2); Size of heads too large for small bouquets B Customers liked them for dried more than fresh; Good unusual specimen; We had a lot of variability. We had three different phenotypes from our seed packet!; Similar to amaranth!; Would sell better combined with red types; Different from A. caudatus in that it didn't branch as freely.