Redroot Amaranth
Amaranthus retroflexus
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Amaranthaceae
- Genus:
- Amaranthus
- Species:
- Amaranthus retroflexus
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 3-4 ft
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- jun, oct
- Bloom Colors:
- green
Native Range
United States: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming, Canada: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Northwest Territories, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan
Host Plant for Caterpillars
beet armyworm (Spodoptera exigua), Bidens borer (Epiblema otiosana), Coleophora lineapulvella, Platynota nigrocervina, Scythris trivinctella, stalk borer moth (Papaipema nebris), Yellow-striped armyworm (Spodoptera ornithogalli)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Brown-belted bumble bee (Bombus griseocollis), Brown-belted bumble bee (Bombus griseocollis)
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- thrives in disturbed soils