Amaranth

 

I'm hooked on some words and "amaranth" is one such.

From a great poem by Francis Thompson comes the line

Ah! is Thy love indeed	130
A weed, albeit an amaranthine weed,
Suffering no flowers except its own to mount?

Also, my late friend Colin Maxwell Talbot used the word "amaranth" as a chapter heading for his book "Massive Road Trauma", a work I love deeply.

Now, an image to go with the word:

I really didn't know much about this "weed" even though I was fascinated by its name.

Lately I checked it out on Wiki and found a lot about it.

Then the other day an article in "The Smithsonian Magazine" brought it to my attention once more.

Around the World in Eight Plants

And one of the plants it featured was my amaranth. Here's what they wrote about it:

"Amaranth falls into the category of forgotten grains, since it’s often overshadowed by more readily available whole grains like oats and rye. However, it has gained popularity in recent years thanks to being highly nutritious and a good source of amino acids. In fact, prior to the Spanish Conquest in 1519, amaranth was a staple foodstuff of the Inca and Aztec empires. The Aztecs used the seeds of the scruffy garnet plant for ceremonial purposes, mixing amaranth flour with agave syrup and molding the mixture into figures representing important deities within their culture, such as Tlaloc, the god of rain. Upon seeing this, Spanish conquistadors banned the crop, believing “the practice to be the work of the devil,” Drori says. In modern-day Peru, a popular street snack called turrones is made by popping the seeds—similar to popcorn—and mixing it with agave syrup or molasses in a nod to the Aztecs."

The article in The Smithsonian was really just an ad for a new book by Jonathan Drori and I'm happy to give it this plug, just because it includes my amaranth!

Around the World in 80 Plants

Jonathan Drori takes a trip across the globe, bringing to life the science of plants by revealing how their worlds are intricately entwined with our own history, culture and folklore. From the seemingly familiar tomato and dandelion to the eerie mandrake and Spanish "moss" of Louisiana, each of these stories is full of surprises.

 

So I learn new things every day. I don't find it "scruffy" at all, I rather like it.

There are also many varieties found in different countries.

Maybe one day I'll have one in my own garden!

pt