Globe Amaranth

Gomphrena globosa

Also known as bachelor’s buttons, this annual hot-weather plant has been a garden-mainstay for years.

In fact, they were declared Texas Superstars in 2012, meaning that they’ve been extensively trialed and shown to be super-tough in most Texas landscapes.

But recently some new colors were developed by the researchers at Texas A&M. Before these plants were released, I was lucky enough to be given some to trial in my garden, and I can report that they are indeed fabulous. The plant trials coincided with the summer of 2011, the hottest on record, and these little plants just kept on going, and blooming like crazy. In addition to newer, deeper colors, taller plants were also developed, but crossing the common globe amaranth with its much taller, native cousin, the Rio Grande globe amaranth. These plants thrive in full sun, on about once a week watering. They ARE annuals that will need to be replaced each spring, but transplants take off and fill in rather quickly to make a nice addition to any container or garden bed.