Amaranth white. Amaranth spiky

Amaranth has existed on Earth for over 6,000 years. He was worshiped in ancient times by the Incas and Aztecs, using them in ritual ceremonies. It was brought to Europe in 1653 from Sweden. Amaranth is an unpretentious plant in care, loves watering and the sun. In the world flora there are more than 60 species of various varieties of amaranth. Amaranth has been used as animal feed for a long time, both on an industrial scale and for feeding domestic animals. Everything is edible in it: from leaves to roots.

When choosing an amaranth variety, specify its type: fodder, grain, food or decorative. The value of this plant is that its leaves contain 17% of useful protein.

Important! All types of amaranth are very depleting of the soil. Therefore, carefully plan crop rotation on the site, because amaranth can be planted in one place only after four years.

Amaranth is a photophilous plant that also needs timely irrigation. If you did not have time to collect the seeds, do not worry: those that remain on the plants in the spring will sprout a green oasis, and you just need to plant them. Food varieties are annual crops that propagate by seed.

Amaranth variety Valentina

This is an early ripe food variety, but you can harvest the first crop of greens no earlier than in 1.5 - 2 months. It is valued in everyday life because of its richness in useful substances. The plant has a height of 100-170 cm. The seeds of the Valentine amaranth variety have a light red border around the edges. The leaves contain vitamins C, E, carotene. There is also a whole storehouse of potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron. This is probably why the variety of amaranth Valentina is always present in the gardens - its stems and leaves are added to salads, soups, etc.

Variety Valentina belongs to the early ones, it takes 45 days to give a ripe culture. Full maturation takes 110-120 days. Plants reach a height of 100–170 cm and have shoots on the sides that are evenly spaced along the entire stem. The leaves resemble an ellipse in appearance, which has a red-violet color. Panicles straight, medium density. The yield is low, only 0.6 - 0.7 kg per square meter of seeds.

Did you know? Edible varieties of amaranth are a real storehouse of nutrients and trace elements. Their foliage and stems contain just a colossal amount of protein - 18%.

Aztec amaranth variety

Amaranth food grade, mid-season. Ripening period - 120 days This variety is characterized by a high yield of both grain and green mass. The stems are red, up to 150 cm high. The seeds are dark brown. The variety is mid-season. If this variety of amaranth is sown late, then the number of leaves on each plant can be increased, which makes it popular in animal husbandry. Aztec amaranth grain is used in cooking for the preparation of amaranth oil.

Amaranth variety Giant

The giant belongs to the food varieties of amaranth. From germination to ripening, 115-127 days pass. Distinctive features of this variety are juiciness and abundance of foliage. Its dimensions are impressive: height -165-190 cm. The stems are distinguished by a large number of juicy green leaves, which makes this species indispensable in agriculture. Amaranth of the Giant variety is well processed and used in the same way as silage. The Giant amaranth variety has a fairly high fat content in seeds - 7.9%.

Amaranth variety Helios

The amaranth variety Helios has an orange panicle, the stem is 150-170 cm. Its leaves are light green in color with orange veins. Vegetation period - 105 days, i.e. he is early. The grain is white. It has a high yield, there are 6-7 plants on a plot of one square meter, which makes it possible to obtain 1.5 tons of biomass per hectare and 15-30 centners of grain per hectare. Such indicators provide this variety with popularity among growers.

Did you know? The amaranth variety was recorded in the register of varieties of Ukraine (2010). Its creator is the National Botanical Garden. M. M. Grishka NAS of Ukraine.

This variety of amaranth is considered to be universal and gives high yields. In addition to valuable grains, its greens are also actively used for animal feed. This species ripens in 110 days. Amaranth of the Kharkov variety belongs to food varieties, grain and fodder, and is also considered medicinal. It needs 90 days to mature. The yield is up to 200 tons of green biomass and 50 centners of grain per hectare. This food grade amaranth has high levels of squalene, an important biopolymer. It is widely used both for medicinal purposes and in cosmetology.

Amaranth variety White leaf

White amaranth is a low-growing variety of food amaranth. Its height is only 20 cm. It can be grown all year round even in a pot on the windowsill. Now you can treat your family with healthy greens all year round. The stems and leaves of edible amaranth are characterized by a pleasant taste and appearance. Due to the fact that the leaves and stems of the plant are light, the variety is called the White Leaf. The stem is juicy and tasty, so amaranth The white leaf belongs to the edible varieties of amaranth. These plants are cut at a height of only 18-20 cm.

This is an early ripening variety of grain amaranth. It ripens for 95-100 days, and therefore it is classified as an early ripening variety. It is low - 80-120 cm and gives less green mass than other species.

Amaranth variety Kizlyarets

This is a universal variety. The period from germination to harvesting for food is 60-70 days, for seeds - 80-120 days. Not prone to bush formation. The stems reach a height of 120-160 cm. A distinctive feature is the roughness on the surface of the stem. Inflorescences - yellow-green, and when ripe - red, not very dense. The leaves are pale green, elliptical in shape. Characterized by weak tillering. Remarkable in this variety of amaranth is its yield per green mass - 77 kg / ha. This is higher than the average yield for amaranth by 31 kg/ha. And for grain - 20-30 kg / ha.

Did you know? Amaranth variety Voronezh is grown only for grain production. Grain yield is 15-35 kg/ha.

This variety is forage. It has a high yield - up to 22 kg / ha. The seeds contain 7% oil and 20.6% protein. Description of the variety: high - 170-220 cm, mid-season, food. The bush of this species has green leaves with red veins, raspberry-colored inflorescences. Vegetation period - 105 days. It is characterized by a high protein content - 20.6%. Resistant to shedding. Actively used for harvesting silage. On a linear meter in one row - 5-6 plants. Oil and flour are obtained from grain.

Description: Amaranth (white amaranth)

An annual herbaceous plant with a height of 20 to 100 cm. The flowers are small, greenish-white, dry membranous, collected in balls, and then in dense spike-shaped inflorescences.

Distribution: Amaranth (white amaranth)

It grows in fields, forest edges, along roads, in vegetable gardens as a weed, often found near housing. Shiritsa is an almost cosmopolitan species. It is distributed throughout most of Europe and Asia, found in South and North America.

Collection and preparation: Amaranth (white amaranth)

The grass is harvested during the flowering period and dried under sheds or in dryers at a temperature of 40°C.

Cultivation: Amaranth (white amaranth)

Prefers light moderately fertile soils, grows well in warm sunny places. It does not need to be fertilized with fertilizers if the conditions suitable for it were initially created. Propagated by seeds, which are previously stratified in the cold.

Application: Amaranth (white amaranth)

Basically, shiritsu is used as a hemostatic agent. So with excessive menstrual bleeding, an infusion of herbs is prescribed. With persistent hemorrhoidal bleeding, lotions from this infusion are used. With bloody diarrhea, an infusion is prescribed orally. It is also known about the antispasmodic and laxative effects of amaranth. These properties are used for chronic constipation and intestinal colic.

Pharmacy name: Amaranth
amaranth grass

Part Used: Amaranth
Grass

Harvest time: Amaranth
July August

Recipes: Amaranth (white amaranth)

Infusion: 3 tbsp with the top of dry crushed amaranth leaves, pour 1 liter of boiling water, insist in heat for 3-4 hours, filter. Drink from 1/3 to 1/2 tbsp. infusion 3-4 times a day 20 minutes before meals after abdominal operations, with asthenic conditions, anemia, benign and malignant tumors, chronic cystitis and pyelonephritis, with exacerbation of hemorrhoids. Courses of treatment - three weeks, a break - seven days.

Tincture. With dry crushed leaves or flowering tops of amaranth, fill the jar by two-thirds and fill it with vodka to the top. Insist in a warm dark place. Drink 1 tsp. with 1/4 st. boiled water 3-4 times a day 15-20 minutes before meals with teenage enuresis, inflammatory processes of the genitourinary system, low blood pressure, senile weakness and lack of body weight.

Amaranth oil. Mature seeds are thoroughly ground in a mortar and mixed with vegetable oil 1:3, heated to 60 degrees, and left overnight in a thermos. In the morning they filter, the raw material is squeezed out and fresh seed powder is poured into the same oil. Repeat this procedure 4-5 times. The finished medicine is stored in top-filled vials in the refrigerator. Drink 1-2 tsp. oil three times a day half an hour before meals with menopausal disorders in men and women, atherosclerosis, high blood cholesterol, gastric and duodenal ulcers, cholecystitis, malignant tumors and after radiotherapy. One course requires approximately 250 g of oil. If necessary, the treatment is repeated every three months.

Source: www.belena.biz

A cultivated plant called amaranth and its wild relative amaranth have been known to mankind for more than six thousand years. Amaranth was grown along with corn by the ancient Incas and Aztecs, who worshiped it as a deity, protected it, and used it in ritual sacrifices. After the arrival of the conquistadors, the widespread destruction of this "devil's plant" began. It came to the territory of modern Europe in 1653 from Sweden.

In Rus', this culture was considered a source of longevity and even immortality; flour was made from the seeds of this plant and bread was baked. The agricultural reform carried out by Perth the First introduced a number of prohibitions, including the use of amaranth for food, and it became a purely decorative and fodder crop. Currently, this plant grows on almost all continents with the exception of only Antarctica. What varieties and types of amaranth exist and how to grow it correctly?

Amaranth fodder, vegetable, ornamental and black amaranth oil

Amaranth- the plant is unpretentious, perfectly tolerating both high temperatures and thermometer indicators close to zero. This plant is represented in the world flora by more than 60 species of various mainly and.

It is customary to distinguish between fodder, vegetable, grain and decorative amaranth, for example, red tailed amaranth, so when purchasing seeds, you must definitely check with the seller which variety he offers you.

The leaves of the plant contain 17% of high-quality protein, useful for any organism, whether it be a person or a pet. Black amaranth seed oil surpasses even sea buckthorn in many useful indicators.

He is very fond of light, so good lighting plays an important role in his successful cultivation. He also loves timely watering, but is able to withstand a short drying of the soil.

Amaranth is sown only when the soil temperature rises to 8-10 degrees. Often, the seeds remaining on the bushes until late autumn crumble and germinate in the spring in a friendly bunch. It remains only to evenly seat them on the site.

Edible varieties of amaranth: Valentina, Krepysh, white, pink and others

Edible varieties of amaranth are a real storehouse of nutrients and trace elements. Their foliage and stems contain just a colossal amount of protein - 18%. Food varieties are annual crops that propagate by seed.

During the flowering period, most food varieties of amaranth, the photos of which can be seen below, also act as an excellent decoration of the garden:

All parts of the plant can be eaten - stems, grains and leaves. A wide variety of dishes are prepared from it, it can be nutritious and healthy cereals, and light dietary salads, delicious flour products, teas and decoctions. There are a huge number of recipes for preparing delicious dishes from pink amaranth.

There are many varieties of amaranth, including vegetables. The most popular and sought after edible varieties of amaranth are:

"Valentina"- an early ripe plant variety, 45 days pass from seed germination to technical ripeness of the crop, and 110-120 days until their full ripening. This is a culture reaching a height of 100-170 cm, with lateral shoots spaced evenly along the entire stem. The leaves are elliptical red-violet, with solid edges. The inflorescence of the amaranth variety "Valentina" is erect, purple, of medium density. The yield ranges from 0.6 to 0.7 kilograms of seeds per square meter of sowing.

"Fortress"- an early ripening variety, only about 80 days pass from seed germination to consumption. Bushes have a height of up to 140 cm, decorated with juicy, delicate, bright green leaves. Inflorescences erect, red-brown, medium density, light yellow seeds. The yield is 2.5-3.0 kilograms of seeds per square meter.

"In memory of Kovas"- mid-season grain variety of amaranth. The plant is low, only 110 cm in height, decorated with delicate and juicy dark green leaves. Its inflorescences are erect, brown with a red tint, and are distinguished by a high density. The yield of this variety is 3.0-4.0 kilograms of seeds per square meter.

"Opopeo" (Opopeo)- has a very juicy and tasty bronze-green leaf color, which is widely used for soups and salads. The inflorescences of the plant are spike-shaped, erect, red.

"White Leaf" or white amaranth- a dwarf variety of a food variety of a plant, it reaches a height of only 20 cm, has pale green stems and leaves, and has a pleasant taste. Often this variety is grown at home in order to be able to pamper your family with fresh herbs all year round.

The best predecessors for this crop are tomatoes, cabbage, potatoes and zucchini. Plants planted after legumes also feel good. It is necessary to plant this crop repeatedly in the same place no more than once every 4 years.

During the first two weeks after germination, the ground part of the plant develops very slowly, since during this period the active formation of the measles system takes place. While this process lasts, it is important to protect the plants from weeds that can drown them out, so weeding should be mandatory and regular.

After the appearance of 1 and 2 true leaves, the first thinning is carried out, the distance between plants should be at least 3 cm, the second thinning after another 2 weeks by 30 cm. After that, top dressing is introduced, which is repeated every 12-14 days (you need to alternate).

When the resulting seed pods acquire a straw color, and the upper part of the inflorescences is cut into seeds. The rest are cut and dried in the shade in the open air.

Description of varieties of amaranth Giant, Lera (crimson), Emperor and Royal

This plant has been used as feed for livestock for a very long time. This nutritional food supplement is eaten with pleasure by many domestic animals - pigs, cows, chickens. At the same time, not only succulent leaves and stems are used, but also roots.

The most easily grown and productive varieties of fodder amaranth are:

"Aztec"- mid-season variety, characterized by high yields of both green mass and grain. The stems are powerful, strong, reach a height of 150 cm and have a red color. The inflorescences of the plant and its leaves are also red, and the seeds are dark brown.

"Giant"- characterized by a large amount of foliage and its juiciness. Amaranth variety "Giant" is well eaten by farm animals, fresh and in the form of silage. The culture has an impressive size of 165-190 cm, the inflorescences are yellow and red, the seeds are discoid white.

"Kizlyarets"- a weakly bushy representative of this family, has a straight, ribbed stem and red inflorescences of medium density. The leaves are pale green and elliptical in shape.

"Lera"- mid-season predominantly fodder variety. The plant is 170-220 cm high. The stem is green, the leaves are green with red veins. The inflorescences of this amaranth are raspberry-shaped in the form of a panicle.

In addition to the above, there are many varieties of this plant, for example, such as the variety of amaranth "Emperor" and amaranth "Royal", which differ in their external parameters and conditions for sowing and growing.

Varieties of amaranth Kharkov-1, Voronezh and Ultra

The cultivation of these varieties of the plant is carried out exclusively for obtaining seeds, the leaves are rarely used, and the stems and other parts of the plant are not used at all. From the collected seeds, oil is produced or they are fed to livestock.

Among farmers, the most popular varieties for grain are:

"Kharkovskiy-1"- a variety of amaranth that many agronomists consider universal. In addition to the grain itself, they use its greens to feed livestock. Also, this variety is famous for its medicinal properties and is considered one of the highest yielding. The maturation period is 110 days.

"Helios"- a very popular and early ripening variety. The stems of the plant can reach 170 cm, the inflorescences are orange in color, they are highly resistant to lodging and shedding. The grains are rounded white.

orange giant- a variety of amaranth, described by agronomists as a very tall plant, reaching 2.5 m in height and having powerful arcuate orange stems. From the seeds of this plant, flour is obtained that has a characteristic nutty flavor.

"Voronezh"- an early ripening variety of amaranth up to 120 cm high. Voronezh amaranth is grown exclusively for grain, since the plant forms very little green mass.

"Ultra"- an early ripe variety of amaranth, characterized by light green inflorescences and a high oil content in the seeds. In height, amaranth "Ultra" grows up to 100-130 cm.

Red tailed, green, yellow and tricolor varieties of amaranth (with photo)

Deciding to decorate your flower garden with some kind of decorative amaranth variety, you will not go wrong and will be pleasantly surprised. This beautiful and stately flower is sure to be a decoration of the garden, pleasing to the eye until the frost.

On the territory of the former post-Soviet space, four species of this plant are most common, with a long list of varieties that differ in the shape of flowers and their color:

Amaranth dark- a little branching variety with stems up to 150 cm long, elongated, pointed, rich green leaves and erect spike-shaped purple inflorescences.

Amaranth tailed- a plant with powerful erect stems up to 150 cm long and large, elongated, rich green leaves.

Tailed amaranth blooms, the photo of which can be seen below, with paniculate hanging inflorescences with small red or green-red flowers:

Panicled or red amaranth- the stems of the plant are strong up to 150 cm in length, the leaves are elongated, brown-red with an elongated top, the inflorescences are drooping or erect with small red flowers.

Amaranth tricolor- a compact bush of a pronounced pyramidal shape with erect stems up to 150 cm long and elongated narrow leaves of three colors.

The description of amaranth varieties given above is only a small list of available varieties.

Photos of amaranth species, allowing you to appreciate the beauty of this plant, are given below:

Seeds of ornamental varieties of amaranth have a characteristic dark color, they are not suitable for eating or making oil from them, but the leaves can be used in salads.

The most beautiful varieties of the above types of amaranth are:

Roter Dom or Roter Dam- a low variety, reaching a height of only 50-60 cm, is distinguished by rich burgundy inflorescences and dark red, almost burgundy foliage.

Hot Biscuits or Hot Biscuit- the highest grade of all known decorative amaranths. This giant amaranth reaches a height of 1 m and has large red-orange inflorescences and green foliage.

Green Thumb or green amaranth- a very beautiful variety that fits perfectly into any flower garden. The stems of this plant reach 40 cm in length, the inflorescences are painted in a rich emerald color during flowering, by the end of summer they become brown.

Illumination or amaranth yellow- this variety grows up to 70 cm in height, differs in different colors of leaves on one bush. Young leaves are red-yellow, then they turn orange-red, and by the end of summer they turn bronze.

Pygmy Torch- a low variety up to 40 cm, decorated with straight purple inflorescences, with the onset of cold weather, the inflorescences turn brown, and the leaves are multi-colored.

Rotschwanz or Rotschwanz- the flower grows up to 75 cm in height, has many shoots and lush, red inflorescences.

Decorative varieties of plants are great for winter, wreaths and others.

The amaranth plant has another name: common amaranth. It refers to annual crops. And he "came" to us from America. There are over 900 species of this plant in the world, among which about 80 varieties are used for various purposes by people.
Amaranth grows everywhere, but most of them grow in the subtropics and tropics.

Description

Amaranth plants are annual and perennial, but all varieties have something in common: the stems are erect, branched and quite strong. The stems sometimes reach a height of 2.5-3 meters. And the thickness of the stems can reach 10 cm.

Its leaves are beautiful and are ovate or elongated in appearance, and more often green or slightly purple with a green tint in color, and are arranged alternately on the stems. There are also such varieties of amaranth, the leaves of which have reddish-purple hues and resemble diamonds in shape. Sometimes amaranth is red-green with bright yellow dots. Amaranth flowers are small, collected complex inflorescences that hang down or stand straight. The fruits are in the form of round boxes. The color of the amaranth flower can be white, purple-red or burgundy.

Some varieties

The most famous varieties of amaranth are paniculate, tailed, white-seed and dark red. The tailed or panicled, sad or multi-colored amaranth looks most beautiful in flower beds and front gardens.
Some varieties are weeds and are very difficult to grow in vegetable gardens and beds.

White amaranth grows everywhere in gardens, in fields, near residential buildings, on the edges. It is a ubiquitous weed in Europe and parts of Asia, but also grows locally in the Americas.

It is a herbaceous plant, sometimes reaching a height of 1 m. Small whitish flowers are collected in dense dense inflorescences resembling spikelets. The plant is very hardy, does not need care and watering. It is very difficult to get it out in the garden. It has the property of self-scattering seeds. And there are sometimes up to 600 of them on one plant.

But there is another variety: white decorative amaranth, slightly different from the weed described above. This plant looks very similar to the previous one, but it does not apply to weeds. It is distinguished from panicle weed and slightly leaf shape. It is also distinguished by the absence of alkaloids in the composition, as well as the shape of the panicles. In this variety, they look like inflorescences of a red species, only white.
It is not difficult to grow amaranth; planting seeds should occur when the soil warms up to 13. ° C, i.e. in the second half of May. Special care is not required. Often the plant is sown in summer cottages along the fences.

Read also: Varieties of marigolds, application, planting, care

Amaranth "Ultra" cereal annual spring plant. The root of the rod type often has a length of up to 7 m.
It reaches a height of 170 cm. The stem is erect, very strong. The leaves are entire, placed alternately on the stems. The flowers are small, collected in a complex branched long hanging panicle, sometimes reaching 45 cm. It is preferable to grow amaranth from seeds, that is, preliminary planting in pots is necessary.
The seeds of this amaranth are similar to cereals. And what is noteworthy is that after harvesting the plants, the seeds that have fallen to the ground do not germinate the next year, as in many other varieties of amaranth.

Red amaranth also often planted in the country. It is suitable for tea. Planting such a plant can be carried out in early April in a greenhouse or on a window in boxes. This is a garden variety. Growing amaranth of this species does not bring much trouble. Care comes down to watering and loosening the soil. Weeding is needed while the sprouts are small. Then amaranth itself can drown out any herbs around. A valuable variety with a high content of protein, useful to people after surgery. Therefore, for many patients suffering from diseases of the kidneys, liver and gastrointestinal tract, doctors recommend growing this amaranth flower in their country house and eating it.

A bit of history

This flower has always been used in flower beds to decorate them. But it has long been used for cooking. When studying the culture of the ancient Mayan and Aztec tribes, historians found that they also used the seeds and leaves of the flower for food. The plant and its seeds were brought to Europe along with other interesting plants by Columbus and his associates. It was brought to Russia in the 15th century. And at first it was considered a weed and was grown only in flower beds and flower beds, because it was considered beautiful. However, some varieties of amaranth are still considered weeds. This cereal spread thanks to the workers of the botanical gardens at the state universities of Voronezh and Kazan. It was there, after a thorough study of the plants, that conferences began to be held, which devoted to the use of amaranth in pharmaceuticals and industrial cooking.

Cultivation and reproduction

The amaranth belongs to the most unpretentious plants that do not require care. It can be grown on any soil, even on salt marshes. It easily tolerates drought and frost, so this plant does not need special care. Culture is more often thermophilic.

Grass loves more sunny places in the open field. And he really does not like greenhouse conditions. And the optimal temperature for growth is 20-35 C. It propagates by seeds.

Planting amaranth seeds in open ground is carried out before the snow falls, or in the spring, when the snowdrifts melt and the soil temperature warms up to 6 C. The seed planting depth should not be more than 1.5 cm. Before planting, the seeds must be mixed with sand . After 12-14 days shoots will already be visible. Seedling care consists only in watering. The flower is pollinated by the wind. Some types of this herb bear fruit, for example, vegetables.

Read also: Care for begonia blooming indoors

Seed collection

Seeds are collected in September - October. They come in white, black or brown. For this purpose, mature panicles of inflorescences are threshed and dried, lay out in a thin layer in the air. From one plant sometimes up to 600,000 seeds are obtained, and they can sprout even after 4 years.

When it blooms

Flowers appear towards the end of June. And then, as a rule, the plant blooms continuously until autumn. The flowers of the amaranth are small, collected in long and complex panicles that can stand or hang down like catkins. Moreover, the flowers are kept for a long time on the panicle. The name amaranth in Latin means "unfading". And this name was given to the plant just because the flowers last more than 2 months each panicle.

Beneficial features

Shiritsu is valued not only for the fact that it does not require much care, but for the large amount of vitamins in it. It is very nutritious: leaves and seeds contain up to 18% protein. This is more than cereals. And the quality of amaranth protein is superior to soy protein, almost comparable to chicken.

This herb is also medicinal. Young leaves or seeds are used for allergies, atherosclerosis, at kidney dysfunction, pathologies urinary organs, colic in the intestines, beriberi and anemia. And in Chinese folk medicine, amaranth is also used in the fight against cancerous tumors.

Amaranth seeds are also used in cooking. For example, seeds are ground into flour and added to dough for bread or pies. Amaranth seeds can also be added to soup or boiled porridge. Roasted seeds taste like hazelnuts. Amaranth oil is higher than sea buckthorn oil in its medicinal qualities. Leaves can be added to salads.

Amaranth is also used to improve the taste of pickled cucumbers. For this purpose, half a leaf per liter jar is enough.

You can still list the beneficial properties of this plant used in traditional medicine and cooking for a long time. But this is not the purpose of the article.

In addition, this flower has the ability to release maximum oxygen into the atmosphere, absorbing the maximum amount of carbon dioxide from the surrounding atmosphere. For this reason, in a summer cottage where a flower grows, the atmosphere will be much cleaner.

Read also: Planting time and cultivation of exquisite Godetia

Agricultural use

Amaranth is used as feed for cattle and birds. Pets fed with fruits and leaves of amaranth grow better and get sick less. The plant has little greenery. It grows back very quickly after being cut. Just don't mow it too low. Do not touch the bottom leaves.

Application in cooking

For the dish, younger leaves or fried plant seeds, vegetable broth, onion, olive oil are used, but refined sunflower oil, seasonings, salt, pepper, green onion can be used.
Soup is prepared like this:

• amaranth leaves are boiled on a small flame for 10 minutes with vegetables;
• chopped onion, fried in oil;
• onions are added to the soup and boiled for another five minutes;
• at the end, spices and chopped green onions are added.

Vegetables with amaranth seeds

For cooking, seeds, oil, carrots, onions, celery greens, parsley with bell peppers and potatoes are taken. Salt, pepper and thyme are taken as spices.
Amaranth grass seeds are boiled for about a quarter of an hour. Vegetables are fried in oil, poured with warm water and boiled over a small flame. Then seeds and spices are added to the vegetables and boiled for another 10 minutes.

Dessert with nuts

For dessert, you need some honey, margarine, chopped nuts and seeds of an amaranth plant.
Honey and margarine are heated, mixed, adding nuts and slightly boiled amaranth seeds. Mix well, then pour a thin layer into a baking dish, and then cool and cut into small pieces

How to prepare?

This plant is usually harvested only at the end of summer. Only at the end of August does it completely fade, and its seeds ripen. But some varieties of plants need to be harvested in the winter. This is done by hand at home or by a combine harvester if the plant is being harvested in an agricultural field. Stems together with flowers can be stewed and canned, fermented. Shiritsa does not lose its properties and during freezing and in the freezer it can be stored for more than a year. Some of the seeds are left for planting.

Diseases

The plant is generally resistant to a variety of pests and diseases, therefore there are practically no serious damage to the plant by pests and diseases. But there is harmful leaf spot and white rust. There is also root rot. But all these diseases affect plants living on moist soils. Amaranths do not like high humidity. They prefer dry weather. Therefore, when caring for a plant in a country house or in a garden, you should not be too zealous in watering.

Latin name

Amaranthus albus

Folk names

Shiritsa, gypsy, candlestick, rubella, amaranth

pharmacy name

amaranth grass

Used part

collection time

July August

Description

An annual herbaceous plant with a height of 20 to 100 cm. The flowers are small, greenish-white, dry membranous, collected in balls, and then in dense spike-shaped inflorescences.

Spreading

It grows in fields, forest edges, along roads, in vegetable gardens as a weed, often found near housing. Shiritsa is an almost cosmopolitan species. It is distributed throughout most of Europe and Asia, found in South and North America.

Collection and preparation

The grass is harvested during the flowering period and dried under sheds or in dryers at a temperature of 40°C.

cultivation

Prefers light moderately fertile soils, grows well in warm sunny places. It does not need to be fertilized with fertilizers if the conditions suitable for it were initially created. Propagated by seeds, which are previously stratified in the cold.

Application

Basically, shiritsu is used as a hemostatic agent. So with excessive menstrual bleeding, an infusion of herbs is prescribed. With persistent hemorrhoidal bleeding, lotions from this infusion are used. With bloody diarrhea, an infusion is prescribed orally. It is also known about the antispasmodic and laxative effects of amaranth. These properties are used for chronic constipation and intestinal colic.

Recipes

Infusion: 3 tablespoons with the top of dry crushed amaranth leaves, pour 1 liter of boiling water, insist in heat for 3-4 hours, filter

Drink from 1/3 to 1/2 tbsp. infusion 3-4 times a day 20 minutes before meals after abdominal operations, with asthenic conditions, anemia, benign and malignant tumors, chronic cystitis and pyelonephritis, with exacerbation of hemorrhoids. Courses of treatment - three weeks, a break - seven days.

Tincture. With dry crushed leaves or flowering tops of amaranth, fill the jar by two-thirds and fill it with vodka to the top. Insist in a warm dark place. Drink 1 tsp. with 1/4 st. boiled water 3-4 times a day 15-20 minutes before meals with teenage enuresis, inflammatory processes of the genitourinary system, low blood pressure, senile weakness and lack of body weight.

Amaranth oil. Mature seeds are thoroughly ground in a mortar and mixed with vegetable oil 1:3, heated to 60 degrees, and left overnight in a thermos. In the morning they filter, the raw material is squeezed out and fresh seed powder is poured into the same oil. Repeat this procedure 4-5 times. The finished medicine is stored in top-filled vials in the refrigerator. Drink 1-2 tsp. oil three times a day half an hour before meals with menopausal disorders in men and women, atherosclerosis, high blood cholesterol, gastric and duodenal ulcers, cholecystitis, malignant tumors and after radiotherapy. One course requires approximately 250 g of oil. If necessary, the treatment is repeated every three months.

Along with white amaranth, close species can also be used: they have similar properties.

Amaranth was the most important food crop among the Aztecs about a thousand years ago.