Amaranthus tricolor L., Amaranthaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 14 (Go to the risk assessment).

Other Latin names:  Amaranthus gangeticus L.; Amaranthus mangostanus L.; Amaranthus polygamus L.

Common name(s): [more details]

Chamorro: enmosa biaja

Chinese: hin choi, hong xian, hou ting hua, xian, xian cai, yan lai hong, yin choi,

English: Chinese amaranth, Chinese-spinach, Joseph's-coat, amaranth, amaranth spinach, pigweed, summer-poinsettia, tampala

Fijian: ndriti ndamundamu, tumbua

French: amarante comestible, amarante de gange, amarante du gange, amarante tricolore, pariétaire sauvage

Japanese: ganraikou, hageito, hiyu, hiyu na

Korean: saegbireum, saek maen deu ra mi, sigumchee

Spanish: amaranto, moco de pavo

Thai: phak khom suan

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Plants annual, glabrous. Stems erect, often branched, 0.8-1.5 m. Leaves: petiole 1/2 as long as blade; blade ovate, elliptic, rhombic, or lanceolate, mostly 4-12 x 1.4-6 cm, base tapering, margins entire, usually undulate, apex acuminate and short-mucronate; distal leaf blades green, red, scarlet, maroon, purple, yellow, and cream (unique to A. tricolor). Inflorescences axillary glomerules. Bracts of pistillate flowers ovate to lanceolate, 5-6 mm. Pistillate flowers: tepals 3, narrowly ovate to lanceolate, 5-6 mm, apex aristate; style branches spreading; stigmas 2-3. Staminate flowers intermixed with pistillate; tepals 3; stamens 3. Utricles ovoid, 2-2.5 mm, rugose, dehiscence regularly circumscissile. Seeds black or brownish black, subglobose, 1 mm in diameter, shiny"  (Flora of North America online).

Description from Flora of China online.
Description from Flora of Pakistan online.

Habitat/ecology:  In the United States, "locally escaped from cultivation, disturbed areas"  (Flora of North America online).

Propagation:  Seed. Seeds spread in livestock manure and by ants (Staples et al., 2000; p. 15).

Native range:  Probable origin tropical Asia, widely cultivated and naturalized in the tropics (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Fiji Fiji Islands	Matuku Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1981) (pp. 286-287) Voucher cited: Moseley s.n. Often naturalizing.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Rotuma Island		Bishop Museum (U.S.A. Hawaii. Honolulu.) (1938) (voucher ID: BISH 619259) Taxon name on voucher: Amaranthus tricolor L.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1981) (pp. 286-287) Vouchers cited: DA 8853, DA 10774; forms without colored leaves, Seemann 366 Often naturalizing.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1981) (pp. 286-287) Vouchers cited: DA 10307, DA 10308, DA 10441, DA 2372, DA 5956, DA 11315, DA 9503; forms without colored leaves, DA 10680, DA 10681 Often naturalizing.
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Hiva Oa Island	introduced cultivated	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2013) Voucher cited: E.P. Mumford & A.M. Adamson 85 (UC)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Hiva Oa Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013)
French Polynesia Tuamotu Archipelago	Makatea (Ma‘atea) Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013)
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Rapa Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 69)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Wagner, W. L./ Herbst, D. R./Weitzman, A./Lorence, D.H. (2013) Voucher cited: Thompson, J. B. 362 (US 712814)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island		Bishop Museum (U.S.A. Hawaii. Honolulu.) (1992) (voucher ID: BISH 629193) Taxon name on voucher: Amaranthus tricolor L.
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Majuro (Mãjro) Atoll	introduced cultivated	Vander Velde, Nancy (2003) (p. 61)
Nauru Nauru Island	Nauru Island	introduced	Wagner, W. L./ Herbst, D. R./Weitzman, A./Lorence, D.H. (2013)
New Caledonia Îles Loyauté (Loyalte Islands)	Île Lifou	introduced cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 11) Vouchers cited: MacKee 27275, MacKee 28332
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced cultivated	Sykes, W. R. (1970) (p. 41) Seen cultivated at the Vaipapahi Experimental Farm in 1965. Voucher cited: CHR 169888
Papua New Guinea Bismarck Archipelago	New Britain Island		Bishop Museum (U.S.A. Hawaii. Honolulu.) (1937) (voucher ID: BISH 128476) Taxon name on voucher: Amaranthus tricolor L.
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)		Bishop Museum (U.S.A. Hawaii. Honolulu.) (1972) (voucher ID: BISH 400157) Taxon name on voucher: Amaranthus tricolor L.
United States (other Pacific offshore islands) Wake Islands	Wake Island	introduced	Wagner, W. L./ Herbst, D. R./Weitzman, A./Lorence, D.H. (2013)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	Australia (continental)	introduced cultivated	Randall, R. P. (2007) (p. 38)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	cultivated	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Indian Ocean offshore islands) Christmas Island Group	Christmas Island	introduced cultivated	Swarbrick, J. T. (1997) (p. 103) Possibly naturalized in disturbed areas.

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	United States (other states)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013) LA, MI, MO, MS

Control:  If you know of control methods for Amaranthus tricolor, please let us know.