Vegetable Amaranth: Jamaican Callaloo
(Amaranthus tricolor, A. viridis)
Amaranthus spp. is an annual, erect herb (up to 1 m tall) grown for its edible leaves Leaves grow up to 8 cm in length and are present in an alternate arrangement along the stem. Small flowers are borne on slender spikes within inflorescences up to 12 cm long. Fruit are small, compressed, oval-shaped seeds (1 mm in diameter) and glossy black in color.
'Jamaican Callaloo' is a common dooryard variety of green leaf amaranth (A. viridis).