Amaranthus cruentus 'Tower Green'
Trial: Annual
Years Trialed: 2002
Good Qualities:
Different color; Easy vigorous plant; Unusual - at least at our market - Good for LARGE arrangements - restaurant customers; Excellent height for green amaranthus, full spikes, will grow again; Interesting plant; Great mixer and filler for bouquets and arrangements, no insect problem.
Problems:
Too short (4); Spikes are laying on ground - Secondary spikes will be upright, I think; Short, fat flowers - Hit the dirt at the 1st storm - Not useable, flea beetles liked this plant; Easy for the supply to exceed the demand for this crop; Very upright throughout the year... until we had a storm, the thick, heavy flowers fell over...require netting; Might consider closer spacing for smaller/more manageable size; The small leaves associated with the flower stalks were damaged by thrips (puckered looking) in harvest 1 and needed to be removed to improve the heads appearance; No insect problem; The color was washed out and it seemed to go brown in field fast - difficult to weed.
Trial Data
| Yield (stems/plant) | Stem Length (inches) | Market Appreciation Rating - Wholesale (1) | Market Appreciation Rating - Retail (1) | Market Appreciation Rating - Consumer (1) | Repeat Again Rating (2) | Ease of Cultivation Rating (2) | Average Spacing (in2) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average | 1.2 | 22.1 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 2.8 | 2.4 | 2.9 | 128 |
| Range of Responses | 0-6 | 3-48 | 2-5 | 2-5 | 1-5 | 1-5 | 1-5 | 18-432 |
(1) 1 to 5 scale, with 5 being the best. Market ratings are based on sales to wholesalers, retailers, or final consumers direct.
Supplier
Kieft Seeds
P.O. Box 618
Conway, WA 98238
Comments:
Similar to 'Red Cathedral'; A second harvest would have been possible in August with an average stem length of 20 inches and 4-6 stems per plant - By September the flower stalks were taking on a light green-yellow hue and weren't as attractive as in August - A certain amount of market development may be needed with this product; Loved the shape and firmness of stems and heads, a great added touch to arrangements, customers loved the uniqueness; I would try this again - Larger spacing would produce larger heads.