Gomphrena globosaGlobe Amaranth

Papery, clover-shaped flower heads in magenta, purple, white and pink sit above the foliage of Gomphrena globosa from midsummer until the weather turns, and they hold their colour so well that the species is grown commercially as a dried flower.

It is a heat plant. Where cooler bedding subjects fade through a Gulf or South Asian summer, Globe Amaranth keeps flowering, which makes it a dependable seasonal block for medians, roundabouts and civic bedding.

Specifications

• Height0.3 to 0.6 metres
• Width0.2 to 0.3 metres
• Native toCentral America and Brazil
• FoliageOblong, softly hairy mid-green leaves on branching stems; herbaceous
• Growth rateFast

Conditions

• SoilPrefers free-draining soils; tolerates poor ground
• LightFull sun
• WaterLow to moderate; drought-tolerant once established
• ClimateThrives in tropical, subtropical and hot summer climates

Additional Features

• FlowersPapery globe-shaped heads in magenta, purple, pink or white from midsummer to autumn
• UsesSeasonal bedding, median and roundabout colour, container display and dried flower production
• SpacingPlant 0.2 to 0.25 metres apart for a solid block of colour
• Low MaintenanceNo deadheading required; the heads hold colour on the plant until it is replaced
• Pest ResistanceGenerally untroubled in hot dry conditions
• Drought ToleranceContinues flowering through heat and modest irrigation
• Wildlife AttractionFlowers are heavily worked by butterflies

Globe Amaranth is the seasonal bedding subject that keeps flowering when the summer heat has stopped everything else.