Spiny Amaranth (Amaranthus spinosus), commonly called spiny pigweed or prickly amaranth, is the formidable, thorned cousin of the leaf amaranths that feeds millions across the tropics. Despite its intimidating pair of sharp spines at each leaf node, the young leaves and tender shoots of this pantropical plant are a valued vegetable in African and Asian cuisines. The spines are simply stripped off before cooking, revealing the same nutritious, mild-flavored greens found in its spineless relatives. In traditional medicine, those same spines are used to treat everything from snakebite to skin infections.
• Recognizable by the distinctive pair of sharp spines at each leaf axil
• Despite the spines, the leaves are highly valued as a cooked vegetable across the tropics
• Known as "kantee" (Hausa), "alagasi" (Tagalog), and "kanta-mulika" (Sanskrit)
• The spines have been used in traditional medicine for wound treatment
• One of the most widespread amaranth species, found on every inhabited continent
• Both leaves and seeds are utilized
• Probably originated in tropical Central or South America
• Now found throughout the tropics and subtropics worldwide
• Common across sub-Saharan Africa, South and Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, and northern Australia
• Has been used as a food and medicine in Africa and Asia for centuries
• Introduced to the southern United States, where it is considered a noxious agricultural weed
• Also naturalized in southern Europe and the Mediterranean
• Used in Ayurvedic medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and African traditional healing
• First described by Linnaeus in 1753
• Sold in some African and Asian markets after the spines have been removed
• One of the most cosmopolitan weed species on Earth
Leaves:
• Ovate to lanceolate, 3 to 10 cm long and 1.5 to 5 cm wide
• Green, smooth, with entire or slightly wavy margins
• Long petioles
• Each leaf axil bears a pair of sharp, slender spines, 5 to 15 mm long
Spines:
• Paired, sharp, straight, yellowish to brown
• 5 to 15 mm long, located at each leaf node
• The plant's most distinctive feature
• Must be removed before the leaves can be prepared as food
Stems:
• Erect, stout, green to reddish, branching
• Smooth or slightly hairy
• Spines present at nodes
Flowers:
• Small, greenish, borne in dense, bristly terminal and axillary spikes
• Terminal spikes 5 to 20 cm long
• Lower flower clusters are predominantly female (seed-producing)
Seeds:
• Very small, black, lens-shaped
• Produced in enormous quantities
• Thrives in hot, humid tropical conditions (25 to 40°C)
• Sensitive to frost
• Extremely drought-tolerant once established
• Grows in virtually any soil type
• pH range from 5.0 to 8.5
• Full sun preferred
• One of the first plants to colonize disturbed ground
• Very competitive with crops — a serious agricultural weed in many regions
• Fast-growing, completing life cycle in 60 to 100 days
• Self-seeds prolifically
• Has developed herbicide resistance in some populations
• Resistant to many common pests due to its spiny defenses
• High in protein for a leaf vegetable, 3 to 5 g per 100 g
• Excellent source of iron and calcium
• Good source of vitamins A and C
• Contains potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium
• Rich in dietary fiber
• Low in calories, approximately 20 to 30 kcal per 100 g
• Contains oxalates, reduced by boiling
• Seeds are also nutritious and can be used as a pseudo-grain
• Amino acid profile is well-balanced, rich in lysine
• Direct-sow seeds in warm soil (above 20°C), barely covering
• Thin seedlings to 15 to 25 cm apart
• Germination in 3 to 7 days
• Harvest young leaves and shoots 25 to 35 days after sowing
• Wear gloves when handling mature plants due to spines
• Strip spines from stems before cooking leaves
• Cut stems 10 cm above ground for regrowth
• Requires no special care
• Responds to nitrogen fertilization with vigorous leafy growth
• Most commonly managed by simply allowing volunteer plants to grow in gardens
• Harvest before plants flower for the most tender leaves
• Leaves are stripped from the spiny stems and cooked as a pot herb
• Used in West African soups and sauces, often combined with other greens
• Cooked in Indian dishes with spices, lentils, and vegetables
• Used in Filipino and Southeast Asian sautéed vegetable preparations
• Boiled and served with staples across tropical regions
• Sometimes dried for storage
• Young shoots can be cooked without spine removal if harvested early enough
• Seeds can be collected and used as a grain, like other amaranths
• Used in traditional medicine for urinary and skin conditions
Anecdote
Spiny Amaranth has evolved one of the most effective defense strategies in the plant kingdom: a pair of razor-sharp spines at every leaf joint that deter herbivores and make weeding a painful experience. Yet humans, the most resourceful of all herbivores, simply strip off the spines and eat the leaves anyway. In parts of rural India, mothers specifically seek out spiny amaranth over the spineless varieties, claiming the spiny plant produces more flavorful leaves — a case of culinary preference overriding common sense.
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