Grow Love Lies Bleeding from fresh Amaranthus caudatus flower seeds. Love Lies Bleeding is a fascinating heirloom plant that grows quickly, producing long strands of ruby red blooms. The plants stand to a mature height of roughly 36 to 60 inches tall and will bloom through the summer months. They are also known to attract an array of beneficial insects to the garden as well.
Love Lies Bleeding is categorized as an annual flowering plant. They grow quickly from seeds, bloom profusely through the warm months of June & July and later wilt with the first frost. The plants can return the following growing season if they fall to the bare ground beneath. Love Lies bleeding doesn’t need to be cared for very often and can grow in virtually any medium or condition.
Quick Facts
- Type: Flower
- Color: Red
- Height: 36″ to 60″ Tall
- Width: 14″ to 16″ Spread
- Season: Annual
- Zones: 3 to 10
- Environment: Full Sun / Tolerates Light Shade
Sowing The Seed
Love Lies bleeding can be started indoors, or directly outdoors. If started indoor, sow in peat pots, 6 to 8 weeks prior to the last frost. Sprinkle the seeds directly to the surface of the soil, allowing direct light to reach them. This is crucial to the germination process, so do not cover the seed. Direct sow, or transplant into the garden when the weather is warm and all danger of frost has passed.
Growing Conditions
Love Lies Bleeding thrives in areas consisting of full sunlight, but can tolerate a bit of partial shade as well. Temperatures should be kept around 68F to 75F for optimal growth. Though these plants can grow in virtually any medium, they prefer a poor soil, which allows them to bloom profusely. Make sure that the soil is well drained as well. To increase drainage, we recommend adding a light compost to areas containing hard, compact soil. Water daily with a mist setting until germination occurs.
Germination & Growth
Your seeds will begin to emerge in as little as 7 to 10 days after sowing. the plants reach a mature height of about 36 to 60 inches tall, taking up a fair amount of width. The plants are known to attract an array of beneficial insects to the garden, such as butterflies, bumblebees, hummingbirds & ladybugs as well. Their long strands of ruby red flowers will bloom through the warm months of summer.