Amaranthus hybridus
Origin: The Americas
Improvement status: Cultivar
Seeds per packet: ~200
Germination tested 11/2023: 89%
Life cycle: Annual
'Opopeo' is a Mexican amaranth variety used for both its leaves and seeds. It has a beautiful magenta-red seed head bearing tiny tan-colored seeds which can be used as a grain (for cookies, cakes, crackers, bread, porridge, or "polenta"), and even popped for a traditional Mexican snack (typically mixed with honey and known as "alegria"). The grain has a unique, earthy taste which many people adore. Nate likes to boil amaranth until well-done and then mix it with a little cream (or sour cream) and honey. The purple-tinted leaves of this amaranth are also quite tasty, though much better cooked than raw. Amaranth is very easy to grow, and a single plant can produce a pint of seeds and many pounds of leaves over the course of a season. Our seed comes from Aaron Parker of Edgewood Nursery in Maine.
GROWING TIPS: May need support in loose soils. Starting seeds indoors or in a hoop house before the frost will give you a edge in short season areas. Plants should be 10-12 inches apart.
