Amaranthus hypochondriacus 'Pygmy Torch'

RHS Plant Profile

prince's feather 'Pygmy Torch'

RHS 1999

Annual Biennial

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A compact annual with lance-shaped green leaves and erect, deep maroon inflorescences, good for drying

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Loam

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 1 year
Max Spread: 0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height: 0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam

Moisture: Moist but well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: West–facing or South–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H2
Drought Resistance: Yes

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Amaranthaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy
Genus: Amaranthus can be upright or spreading annuals or short-lived perennials, with simple leaves and tiny flowers borne in dense, erect or pendulous, catkin-like inflorescences in summer and autumn
Name Status: Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Under glass, grow in peat-free, loam-based potting compost, in full light. Outdoors grow in a moderately fertile, humus-rich soil in full sun, in a sheltered position

Propagation

Sow seed at 20°C (68°F) in mid spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids

Diseases

May be susceptible to a virus