How to Grow and Care For Gomphrena

Gomphrena is a genus of long-blooming perennial plants that grow in tropical and subtropical regions around the world. Also known as globe amaranth, they are found anywhere from open woodlands, to deserts, to sandy slopes, to dry stream beds. Certain species are considered weeds in some places.

Several species, particularly G. globosa and G. haageana, are popular annuals in cooler growing zones adorning gardens with vibrant color from June until frost. These are low-maintenance plants with papery, clover-like blooms that retain their color when dried. White, pink, purple, orange, and red make up the globe-shaped blooms with tiny flowers in contrasting colors in the center.

This is a well-behaved plant with a bushy habit ideal for filling bare spots in the garden with mid- to late-season color. Blooms appear in clumps on one to two foot tall stems with long, narrow, edible leaves.

Gomphrena Plant Care

Gomphrena plants grow best under the following conditions:

• Full sun, at least six to eight hours daily
• Average soil: well-draining sandy, loam, and clay soils
• Drought-tolerant once established
• If not purchased as a transplant, best started from seed indoors six to eight weeks before the final frost before being transplanted into the garden

Planting

Transplant seedlings or sow seed in a location with at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight daily. You might find it easier to start seeds indoors six weeks to eight weeks before the final frost in your growing zone. Additionally, you'll find a greater variety of seeds in different colors as opposed to nursery-grown transplants. In USDA hardiness zones 9 to 11, wait until soil temperature reaches 70 degrees Fahrenheit before sowing seed. Transplants can be set out when temperatures reach 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

Gomphrena is not fussy about soil type if it drains well. Plant seedlings 12 to 18 inches apart. For direct sowing seed, sow them about 1/8 of an inch deep. Leave seeds uncovered or only slightly covered—they are light-dependent for germination. When planting seeds directly in the garden, you might need to thin out young plants for optimum growth and flowering. Pinch back first buds to encourage the plant to branch out for a fuller appearance.

Light

Plant gomphrena in a location where it receives full sun: six to eight hours of direct sunlight daily.

Soil

Gomphrena is adaptable to most soil types, growing and flowering well in sandy, loamy, chalky, and clay soils. The only requirement is for the soil to be well draining. They also tolerate a range of soil pH from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline.

Water

Once established, plants are drought tolerant. They will look better if kept hydrated, though, during hot dry spells. Avoid wetting the foliage, and water at ground level when the top inch of soil feels dry.

Temperature and Humidity

Gomphrena grows best in 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. They do not tolerate frost. When grown as a short-lived perennial in USDA hardiness zones 9 to 11, cut plants back to ground level at the end of the growing season. They prefer a drier climate because high humidity can lead to issues like powdery mildew.

Fertilizer

You might choose to fertilize gomphrena once or twice during the growing season, but the plants do not require extra feeding and don't have a preference for fertilizer type. Working compost into the planting area or a layer of organic mulch provides sufficient nutrients to feed these easy-care flowers. When grown in containers, use potting soil that includes time-released nutrients.

Types of Gomphrena

All species of gomphrena are highly attractive to pollinators including bees and butterflies. In the United States, gomphrena is more often cultivated as a garden ornamental, cut flower, or as an everlasting in dried floral arrangements.

• Common Globe Amaranth (G. globosa): This species includes a number of cultivars grown as garden annuals or herbs. Tiny white or yellow flowers are surrounded by pink, purple, or white to make up the globe-shaped blooms.
• Strawberry Globe Amaranth (G. haageana): Also a popular species in home gardens, strawberry gomphrena has clover-like blooms that are strawberry red with small yellow centers.
• Pink Globe Amaranth (G. pulchella): Masses of vibrant pink blooms with tiny tangerine-colored flowers. This species blooms from spring until frost with a mounding growth habit and slightly arching flower spikes.
• Sonoran Globe Amaranth (G. sonorae): A desert species growing in Arizona and New Mexico is found on sandy slopes and in dry streambeds. Flowers from August to December with white and pink blooms.

How to Propagate Gomphrena

Gomphrena is easily propagated from cuttings. If you want to increase your number of plants quickly, you can take cuttings from mature plants that will root and begin to grow in about a week. Prune a stem from a mature plant and remove all but the top leaves. Insert the cutting into potting soil making sure the bottom nodes are covered. Stem cuttings root quickly and can be planted out in a short time.

How to Grow Gomphrena From Seed

Gomphrena is an annual in most USDA hardiness zones which makes starting from seed an easy way to grow it for your garden. Start seeds indoors six to eight weeks prior to the final frost. You will need seeds, pots or a seed starting or cell tray, and potting mix.

1. Soak seeds overnight in room-temperate water to promote germination.
2. Fill containers with potting soil.
3. Sprinkle seed onto the soil surface leaving it uncovered. Gomphrena seeds require direct light to germinate.
4. Place containers in a location with plenty of sunlight and keep the soil moist until seedlings emerge.
5. Once seedlings have several sets of leaves they can be potted up into individual containers.
6. As daytime temperatures approach 70 degrees Fahrenheit, harden off the plants to acclimate them to the outdoors before transplanting them into the garden or outdoor containers.

Potting Gomphrena

Gomphrena is usually grown in flowerbeds but some cultivars can adapt to containers. Due to their branching and mounding habit, plants need large containers with plenty of drainage holes. You will need to water more frequently and fertilize to encourage the best blooms. Use potting soil that includes a slow-release fertilizer.

Overwintering

In USDA hardiness zones 9 to 11, gomphrena will grow as a short-lived tender perennial. Cut plants back to ground level at the end of the bloom season. This plant does not overwinter well when kept indoors in pots.

Common Pests & Plant Diseases

Aphids and flea beetles are attracted to new growth on gomphrena plants but seldom cause irreversible damage. A strong spray of water from a hose or a mild insecticidal soap helps control large populations.

Gomphrena is also a heat-loving plant that can develop fungal infections in cool, damp weather. Treat problems of powdery mildew, leaf spot, and gray mold with a fungicide. Place plants so they receive plenty of direct sunlight and water at ground level only when the top inch of soil is dry.

How to Get Gomphrena to Bloom

Gomphrena starts blooming early and hits its peak with masses of blooms in mid to late summer and early autumn. Plants don't need any encouragement to produce flowers, however, they will have a fuller look and a greater number of blooms when early buds are pinched out to encourage branching.

Bloom Months

Most garden grown varieties bloom from June until frost.

How Long Does Gomphrena Bloom?

Gomphrena blooms continuously throughout the growing season but the greatest number of flowers are present during the hottest part of summer into early autumn.

What Do Gomphrena Flowers Look and Smell Like?

These flowers are loved for their vibrant colors and clover-like blooms, which appear atop 12- to 20-inch stems that can be either upright or slightly nodding. The flowers have no fragrance but do produce nectar to attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. A variety of songbirds enjoy the seeds.

How to Encourage More Blooms

Encourage a greater number of blooms by pinching out the earliest buds. This causes the plant to branch giving it a bushier, mounding appearance with more flowers.

Caring For Gomphrena After It Blooms

Gomphrena is known as an everlasting which means the bloom holds its vibrant color when dried. Blooms can be left to dry on the plant or you can cut the stems, remove the leaves and hang them upside down to help retain the classic globe shape of the flower.

If you live in USDA hardiness zones 9 to 11 and want to overwinter your plants, cut them back to ground level after bloom.

Deadheading Gomphrena Flowers

It's not necessary to deadhead gomphrena. Plants might reseed but not to a great extent.

Common Problems With Gomphrena

Gomphrena is a no-fuss plant with very few requirements other than plenty of sunlight and well-draining soil. It's a good choice for beginning gardeners adding lots of rich color to summer flowerbeds with little to no maintenance necessary to keep them looking good.