Callaloo - Jamaican - Amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus) Edible Leaf Amaranth Heirloom Calaloo Vegetable

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Callaloo - Jamaican Amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus) Edible Leaf Amaranth Heirloom Calaloo Vegetable

Perennial

Height 48 in

Callaloo, also known as Jamaican Callaloo, and Edible Leaf Amaranth is a leafy succulent plant that is grown for its leaves and seeds, and is consumed as a vegetable. Callaloo can be grown year round in warmer climates, and is considered a winter crop by most exporters, due to the fact that demand for this vegetable is highest during the winter season.

Leafy green Callaloo is a staple in Jamaican cooking. Callaloo is eaten as a popular side dish, used as a stuffing for dumplings, and is also used in soup and rice dishes. This green, leafy, spinach-like vegetable is typically prepared as one would prepare Swiss Chard or Collard greens. Callaloo leaves have a slightly bitter flavour with a rich nutty undertone that is very similar to spinach, and the grains can be toasted or boiled.

  • Full sun
  • Well draining soil
  • Start seeds indoors  2 to 4 weeks before the last frost - lightly covered in pots or trays in a greenhouse or sunny window. 
  • OR direct sow the seed outdoors several weeks after the last spring frost. Sow thinly, 1/4 in deep, in rows 16 to 18 in apart, thinning the seedlings to 10 to 12in apart as soon as they appear. Some gardeners prefer closer spacing such as 2 to 3in  if they are harvesting the greens only.
  • Germination: between 10 to 20 days, and fast growth after that.
  • Seed Count: 30