Amaranthus Caudatus or Love lies Bleeding has proved to be very resilient this year surviving several dinner dates with the local sheep. Their pruning of the plants encouraged the plant to become even bushier, with each stem carrying long tassels of blood red cascading from the heart shaped green leaves . Even the stems add to this striking show turning from green to crimson as the plant matures, each plant arching to present the cascading flowers towards the sun.
When the flowers fade they form thousands of tiny seed resembling millet. Easy to collect, the seed germinates readily and even self sows so that you should always have a progression of plants throughout the year. The plant is an annual, sowing and flowering in one year; and whilst many will end their days on the compost heap it is worth leaving a couple of plants with their seed heads in tact to feed the birds.
Gorgeous plant, Colin, and I haven't seen it down these parts.
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I will send you some seed in time for spring sowing. Easily growing but it is quite striking.
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