Love-Lies-Bleeding
Amaranthus caudatus
Love-Lies-Bleeding blooms from July through September.
Mature size, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not.
Growing Love-Lies-Bleeding
Plant it in full sun. It prefers moderate water. It is hardy in USDA zones 9–11. Expect it to reach about 3.3 ft tall and 1.6 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 1 year.
When to plant Love-Lies-Bleeding
Wait until all danger of frost has passed, then plant out Love-Lies-Bleeding into warm soil; in most zones that means late spring. Planted then, it flowers from July to September.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar: for the middle of its range, start with zone 9 in February.
4 more colors in the Amaranth family
Same family, similar care - pick the one you are growing.
Good to know about Love-Lies-Bleeding
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note.
Safety
Non-toxic to pets, but grazing livestock is the exception: heavy eating of the leaves accumulates nitrate and can cause kidney failure in cattle, sheep, and pigs. per ASPCA and University of Arizona
Worth knowing
It's a genuine grain crop, not just an ornamental: the seeds run about 12 to 17 percent protein and are rich in lysine, which cereal grains lack. per NC State
Lean soil beats rich
Go easy on nitrogen: rich soil pushes leaves over tassels and raises nitrate, so lean, well-drained soil both improves the display and lowers the nitrate risk. per NC State
Drought-tough but hates wet soil
Drought- and heat-tolerant once established, but its main diseases (root rot, Phytophthora) are all wet-soil problems, so sharp drainage is the single best cultural lever. per NC State
Self-sows freely
It reseeds prolifically and will self-sow where happy; collect seed to resow deliberately. Hard winters limit how many volunteers survive. per University of Illinois
Birds eat the seed
Mostly wind-pollinated with little nectar for bees, though it draws some beetles and butterflies; the abundant seed is real forage for birds. per NC State and Missouri Botanical
What pairs well with Love-Lies-Bleeding
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Sea Thrift
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; lower at 8 in, for the front of the border; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
Candytuft
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; lower at 10 in, for the front of the border; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
English Daisy
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; low at 6 in, to carpet the ground beneath; pink sits close to red on the wheel.
Pansy
Takes full sun to part sun and moderate water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; lower at 8 in, for the front of the border.
Glory of the Snow
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; low at 5 in, to carpet the ground beneath.
Windflower
Takes full sun to part sun and moderate water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; low at 6 in, to carpet the ground beneath.
Autumn Crocus
Shares full sun and moderate water; overlaps, then carries the display into mid fall; low at 6 in, to carpet the ground beneath.
Blue Oat Grass
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; opens in early summer and overlaps into this one's season; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; lower at 2.3 ft, for the front of the border.
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