🟣 Gomphrena
Gomphrena globosa
Globe amaranth: the flower that refuses to wilt, fade, or quit.
Sun
Full sun, 6+ hrs
Days to harvest
85-100 days from seed; blooms summer through frost
Spacing
8-12 inches apart
Soil pH
6.0-7.0
How to grow
Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost — they germinate slowly and appreciate bottom heat. Gomphrena laughs at heat, drought, and poor soil, making it a Florida summer superstar when everything else has melted. The 'flowers' are actually papery bracts, which is why they hold color forever — you're looking at botanical origami.
Water & feeding
Water to establish, then back off — it prefers things on the dry side and resents soggy feet.
Common problems
- Few pests — remarkably trouble-free.
- Damping off if seed trays stay too wet.
- Leggy in too much shade.
Harvest
Cut for fresh or dried arrangements when the globes are fully colored; hang upside down to dry — they keep their color for years.
Nerdy fact: Those clover-like balls aren't petals at all — they're modified leaves (bracts) protecting tiny true flowers inside. Gomphrena is essentially wearing armor and calling it fashion.