Gomphrena

( gom - FREE - nuh )

At-A-Glance Information

Commonly referred to as Globe Amaranth, this genus of flowering herbaceous plants includes annuals as well as perennials that need full sun or partial shade and moderate water. They grow to 2 feet tall and half as wide, with rounded flower heads. These plants are heat tolerant and are great for adding interest to dry arrangements. They are also wonderful additions to native and wildflower gardens, bringing in pollinators to the garden with their bright blooms. Use Gomphrena to add interest to beds and borders, in containers, or as members of pollinator, informal, or cut flower gardens.

Gomphrena Species and Varietals

The genus Gomphrena is a member of the plant family Amaranthaceae and includes 139 species. Globe Amaranth grows best in USDA hardiness zones 2-11 or Susnet growing zones 1-24, H1 and H2. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Gomphrena canescens (Bachelor's Buttons, Pink Billy Buttons, Pink Everlasting, Showy Foxtail)
This species is a perennial but is grown as a n annual in cooler zones, and is native to northern Australia. These flowers grow well in woodland gardens, rocky slopes, on coastal dunes and in disturbed areas along fields and roadsides. Flowers are pink and bloom from February through September.

Gomphrena globosa (Globe Amaranth, Globe Flower, Bachelor Button)
Native to Central America, this plant can have white, purple, pink or lavender flowers on 1-2 foot tall stems. These annual plants are edible, and are grown globally as garden ornamentals. Varieties are outlined below:

'All Around Purple'
Compact, bushy plant.

'Audray'
Often used in commercial flower production.

'Buddy'
Deep red-purple flowers on a 6-inch tall plants. Dwarf variety.

'Fireworks'
Open-growing and delicate looking, great for cottage gardens.

'Gnome' Series
10-12 inches tall with mixed flower colors; great for containers.

'Ping Pong' Series
Purple, white, or bicolor blooms great as cut flowers.

'QIS' Series
Brightly colored blooms good as cut flowers.

Gomphrena haageana (Rio Grande Globe Amaranth, Strawberry Fields Globe Amaranth, Button Flower, Strawflower)
This perennial plant is often treated as an annual, and is native to the southern United States and Mexico. Bright orange bracts form in clusters on 2-foot tall stems and protect small yellow flowers. Variety 'Strawberry Fields' (pictured) is a dependable choice with bright red bracts.

Gomphrena vermicularis (Silverhead, Silverweed, Saltweed, Samphire)
This species is native to the southeastern United States down through Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, northern South America, Brazil, Mauritania and Angola. Leaves and stems are edible. Flowers are cream to white colored and bloom in round inflorescences. Individual plants reach up to under a foot tall and have a 2-6 foot wide spread.

Caring for Gomphrena

Gomphrena can be direct sown into the garden, or be planted as transplants grown indoors or from a reputable nursery. Seeds can be started indoors between 6 and 8 weeks before the last frost of the area. Soil temperatures should be around 70 degrees Fahrenheit for direct-sowing seeds, and transplants can be set out when soil temperatures reach 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Plant Gomphrena plants in a space in the landscape that receives full sun; ideally, these flowers should receive between 6 and 8 hours of direct sun each day. They prefer soil that is well-draining, moderately fertile, and that has a pH of between 6.0 ad 7.5. If local soils are particularly poor in nutrients or do not drain well, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic compost before installing. Water newly planted Gomphrena regularly to help it develop a strong root system. At maturity, these plants are drought-tolerant, able to get by on rainwater alone with a some supplemental waterings in the warmest months of the year.

Fertilize Gomphrena flowers yearly in early springtime with a application of 2 inches of compost around the base of plants. Pull mulch back before applying, work the compost gently into the soil a bit, water it in, and then replace mulch. These plants are not heavy feeders, and this should be sufficient to provide the necessary nutrients for the active growing and flowering seasons. Pruning Gomphrena plants is simple: remove spent blooms and any unsightly foliage. These plants bounce back well from pruning. Late in the season, plants can have a tendency to get leggy, especially if they are grown in too much shade. Plants can be cut down to about four inches tall at this point, and a flush of new growth and flowering will be triggered. These plants are short-lived perennials, often grown as annuals in cooler zones.

Harvesting Gomphrena
Gomphrena, or Globe Amaranth, flowering stems can be used in cut arrangements, and flowers are edible though tough and tasteless, used mostly for garnishing salads or beverages. As cut flowers, Gomphrena adds small pops of joyful color to arrangements. Harvest stems in the early morning, after the dew has dried but before the heat of the day sets in. Cut stems at their base at an angle using clean, sharp shears or snips. Drop stems into a bucket of cool water after harvesting. When arranging, remove leaves below the water line. The vase life of Gomphrena flowers is around 7-16 days. To harvest individual flowers for culinary applications, pick them individually from plants just before use, rinse them, and then set them out to dry before using them.

Disclaimer: Information contained on this website is strictly and categorically intended as a reference to be used in conjunction with experts in your area. Foraging and consumption of plant parts should never begin without the guidance and approval of a local plant specialist. The providers of this website accept no liability for the use or misuse of information contained in this website.

Propagation

Gomphrena plants are best propagated via sowing seeds, which can be started indoors or sown directly into the landscape. To propagate your Gomphrena plant, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Gomphrena by Seed

Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. The best potting medium for seed germination is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
Harvest your seeds. The seed heads on plants are pretty easy to spot, they're left behind after flowers have faded. Once they have dried out and begun to split open, you can harvest the seeds inside. Cut them off of the plant, placing them in a paper bag. Harvest as many as you can, and place the paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area. They will continue to split open and release the seeds contained inside. Once they have been released, take them out of the bag and put them in a container so you can work with them.
In either late winter or early springtime, get your container prepared. Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 2-6 weeks from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 65 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.