amaranth

Good evening, I bought giant red amaranth seeds and now have plants over 7 feet tall and seeding. Thats the easy part. The last few weeks ive been getting voulenteers coming up around the plants. These new ones are very similar to the originals except they have a slightly different seed head pattern, they have seed heads growing the length of the stems in small ball like clumps. Each clump has a spike sticking out of the center. They are too different to be the sameamaranth but it cant be concidence that they are only growing in the amaranth patch. Does anyone have any thoughts as to what the voulenteers are and if they are beneficial or not?

Thanks,  Randall

I am guessing here.  There are hybrids in the family, and you could be getting a crop of the not-true-to parent off-spring?  Or, there were two types of seed in the packet, and the later variety is kicking into high gear now?

Heres some pisc of the two.

John,  its spikey amaranth.  I think you might be right about it coming from the original plant.  Its too nuch of a cooincidence that they came up now.  Ill be enjoying then along with the other amaranth. 

Think the wild spiky seeds are brought in by the same birds that are attracted to the giant reds...

ape99

Brought in by the birds?  Highly likley.  Apparently they are as nutritious as the rreds but a pain in the butt or fingers to pick leaves. Those spikes are pretty vicious..  the chickens love it when its 4 to 5 feet.  I think ill let it grow as a chook supplement.

I just wanted to let it be known that I love giant Amaranth. It's like a tree that you can get spinach from, and a grain that's more nutritious than any grass grain.

I agree, its a great plant.  Just harvested a plant that was knocked over in the wind.  We got about 1/2 a cup of seeds from one small plant.  Fresh, they taste like almonds.  Now ive got enough for next year.