Medicinal Herb InfoA reference archive of plants and their traditions
Not medical advice. This site documents how plants have been described and used historically. It is a botanical and folklore reference, not guidance for treating illness, and it carries no dosing instructions. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist before using any plant medicinally — herbs interact with medication and some are toxic.

Home › Herb index › Amaranth

Amaranth

Botanical reference entry

On this page

Parts Usually Used

Leaves

Description of Plant(s) and Culture

Amaranth is an annual herb; its stout, upright stem grows 3-4 feet high and bears alternate, oblong-lanceolate pointed, green leaves that have a red-purplish spot. Its flowers appear in August and grow in clusters. The flowers are not properly flowers, but tufts, with no smell, and of a reddish color. Bruised flowers will yield juice of the same color, dried they make good addition to flower arrangements.

Flowering time is from August until frost. Seeds are a shiny black. Other varieties: Smooth pigweed (A. hybridus); Pigweed or Green Amaranth (A. retroflexus). (also tumbleweed)

Where Found

Cultivated and occurs wild mainly in the central states of the United States.

Medicinal Properties

Astringent, hemostatic, nutritive, alterative

Biochemical Information

Not identified; probably small amount of tannin

Legends, Myths and Stories

The name is from the Greek, meaning “unfading”. The ash of amaranth has a very large salt peter content. Some species of amaranth are known as pigweed. None of the species is poisonous and many are used as potherbs.

Uses

Historically, herbalists administered the plant internally for diarrhea, nosebleeds, and excessive menstruation. Traditional practitioners also employed it topically as a wash for skin conditions, as a gargle for mouth and throat irritations, and as a douche for leucorrhea.

Bibliography

The Herb Book , by John Lust, Bantam Books, 666 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY. copyright 1974. Eastern/Central Medicinal Plants , by Steven Foster and James A. , Houghton Mifflin Company, 215 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10000 Herbal Recipes , by David C. Meyer, Meyerbooks, publisher, PO Box 427, Glenwood, Illinois 60425, copyright 1978, seventh printing, August 1996 Chinese Medicinal Herbs , compiled by Shih-Chen Li, Georgetown Press, San Francisco, California, 1973.

, Lotus Press, PO Box 325, Twin Lakes. , Copyright 1988, published 1992 Indian Herbalogy of North America , by Alma R. , 15 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10023