Grow Gomphrena Flowers for Long-Lasting Color

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.

How to Grow and Care For Gomphrena

Barbara Gillette is a Master Gardener, herbalist, beekeeper, and journalist. She has 30 years of experience propagating and growing fruits, vegetables, herbs, and ornamentals.

Debra LaGattuta is a Master Gardener with 30+ years of experience in perennial and flowering plants, container gardening, and raised bed vegetable gardening. She is a lead gardener in a Plant-A-Row, which is a program that offers thousands of pounds of organically-grown vegetables to local food banks. Debra is a member of The Spruce Garden Review Board.

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.

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 and 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.

Gomphrena are short-lived tender perennials only in the tropical and sub-tropical regions where they grow naturally. In cooler growing zones, gomphrena is grown as a garden annual.

It’s not necessary to deadhead gomphrena. Plants die back at frost and reseeding is spotty if it occurs at all and unwanted plants are easily removed. Deadheading does not encourage plants to rebloom.

It may self-seed and some species such as G. serrata can become a troublesome weed in southern climates. Species and cultivars grown as annuals in northern gardens might lightly self-seed, however, germination is generally poor producing few plants if any.

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Grow Gomphrena Flowers for Long-Lasting Color

Truffula™ Pink globe amaranth (Gomphrena pulchella). Photo by Proven Winners.

Gomphrena (also known as globe amaranth) is one of those flowers with such irresistible charm that you’ll be looking for opportunities to use it everywhere in your garden. This old-fashioned annual produces a plethora of pompom-like blooms all summer long and works equally well in container arrangements, garden beds, and borders to provide long-lasting color and interest.

This sun lover is heat and drought tolerant, too, and requires little maintenance once established. And if you like to grow your own cut flowers, globe amaranth is one of the best. The more you cut it, the more it blooms, and when dried, the flowers hold onto their color indefinitely.

On this page:

• BASICS
• PLANTING GOMPHRENA
• GOMPHRENA CARE
• VARIETIES OF GOMPHRENA
• FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
• DESIGN IDEAS

BASICS

Botanical name:

Common names:

Globe amaranth, globe flower, bachelor’s button (a nickname shared by several different plants)

Plant type:

Exposure:

Bloom time:

Early summer until frost

Height:

Varies by type, ranging from dwarf cultivars that grow 6 to 8 inches tall to others, such as ‘Fireworks’, that can grow as tall as 4 feet.

Flower colors and characteristics:

Clover-like flowerheads are actually made up of colorful bracts (modified leaves that resemble petals) in shades of purple, pink, red, orange, or white. The true flowers are tiny and barely perceptible, but if you look closely you’ll see them peeking out from between the papery bract layers.

Foliage:

Typically narrow and elliptical, varying in color from deep green to blue-green.

HOW TO PLANT GOMPHRENA

Where to plant:

Grow in a site that receives full sun (at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily). Although Gomphrena can tolerate partial shade, the flowers won’t be quite as abundant.

When to plant:

Set out bedding plants 2 to 3 weeks after the last spring frost date. If growing from seeds, start them indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last spring frost or scatter them directly in the garden once the soil has warmed up, covering them with a thin layer of fine soil.

Soil:

Plant in average, well-drained soil. Globe amaranth isn’t picky when it comes to soil type, and will even tolerate poor or sandy soil as long as it has good drainage.

Plant spacing:

Globe amaranth doesn’t like to be crowded, so allow sufficient elbow room between plants to ensure good air circulation. When growing in masses, space plants at least a foot apart.

GOMPHRENA CARE

Water:

Although drought tolerant once established, Gomphrena will benefit from extra hydration during prolonged dry spells. Water whenever the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch, taking care to water plants at the soil line to keep the leaves dry and prevent fungal diseases.

Amendments and fertilizer:

This light feeder doesn’t need much fertilizer to thrive. Incorporating some compost or other organic matter into the soil at planting time will usually provide enough nourishment for a summer’s worth of blooms. If the quality of your garden soil is poor, mix a slow-release granular fertilizer into the soil for an extra nutritional boost.

For container-grown plants, use a high-quality potting mix containing a continuous-release plant food. Be careful not to over-fertilize, which will encourage the plant to produce more foliage instead of flowers.

Pruning and deadheading:

Globe amaranth does not need pinching or deadheading to put on a continuous show of blooms. However, if you want to encourage bushier growth, especially when growing taller varieties, you can pinch back plants by about half early in the growing season, cutting the stems just above a set of leaves. Snipping off the blooms for use as cut flowers will also encourage branching and promote a new flush of blooms later in the season.

Pests and diseases:

Resists most common insect pests, as well as deer and rabbits. Powdery mildew and leaf spot can sometimes be problems, especially if there is poor air circulation between plants. (Find more deer-resistant annuals and perennials.)

VARIETIES OF GOMPHRENA

Truffula™ Pink globe amaranth. Photo by Proven Winners

Truffula™ Pink — Buy now from Proven Winners
Gomphrena pulchella

Tufted orbs of hot-pink flowers seem to dance in the wind above well-branched mounds of narrow foliage. Blooms all summer long and beyond, often going strong well into October. Excellent for use as a thriller or filler in garden beds and container combinations.

Height: 22 to 28 inches
Spread: 22 to 26 inches

2023 National Annual of the Year

Photo by Duckeesue / Shutterstock

‘Strawberry Fields’
Gomphrena haageana ‘Strawberry Fields’

Has stunning bright red blooms that resemble strawberries in both color and shape, held atop long, sturdy stems. The vivid red flowers hold their color exceptionally well when dried.

Height: 18 to 24 inches
Spread: 12 inches

Photo by Nomis_h / Shutterstock

‘Fireworks’
Gomphrena globosa ‘Fireworks’

Fuchsia-colored bracts accented by tiny yellow flowers resemble an explosion of fireworks on this tall, 4-foot plant. Butterflies and bees will flock to the brightly colored blooms, which are produced in profusion until the first hard frost. A great choice for the back of a sunny border.

Height: 3 to 4 feet
Spread: 3 to 4 feet

Photo by Rock Giguere / Millette Photomedia

Ping Pong® Purple
Gomphrena globosa ‘Ping Pong Purple’

Deep purple ball-shaped blossoms bring vibrant color and a distinctive silhouette to garden beds and borders. Striking when planted en masse or in combination with yellow-flowering annuals and perennials, such as sunflowers and coreopsis.

Height: 16 to 20 inches
Spread: 8 to 10 inches
Other colors in the series: White, lavender

Photo by JJL Greenhouse, Inc. / Flickr

QIS™ Carmine
Gomphrena haageana ‘QIS Carmine’

Brilliant carmine red flowers appear in summer, rising above slender blue-green foliage. A superb cut flower, with a vase life of 2 weeks or longer.

Height: 24 to 26 inches
Spread: 8 to 10 inches
Other colors in the series: Orange, red

Photo by Missouri Botanical Garden

‘Buddy Purple’
Gomphrena globosa ‘Buddy Purple’

This dwarf selection features dainty globe-shaped flowers perched above dense mounds of attractive green leaves. Because of its short stems, it’s not as bouquet-friendly as other varieties. However, the compact size makes it a good choice for the front of the border, as an edging plant, or for use in rock gardens.

Height: 8 to 12 inches
Spread: 8 to 12 inches
Other colors in the series: White, rose

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is Gomphrena an annual or perennial?

Although it can be grown as a perennial in mild climates (zones 9-11), it is treated as a warm-season annual elsewhere. (See: Understanding the Difference Between Annual and Perennial Plants.)

Can I grow globe amaranth from seed?

Yes, Gomphrena is easy to propagate from seed. However, the germination rate is low, so if you are planting seeds in the spring, sow them evenly and generously. You can thin out the seedlings later when they reach a height of 1 to 2 inches. (Learn more about growing your own plants from seed.)

How do I dry globe amaranth flowers?

Harvest the blooms after the flowers have fully opened and strip the leaves from the stems. Tie the bare stems in bunches and hang the flowers upside down to dry in a well-ventilated place, out of direct sunlight. Once dried, the flowerheads are great additions to floral arrangements and craft projects. The following spring, you can crush the dried flowers and toss them into the garden to release the seeds for another season of blooms.

Are globe amaranth plants toxic?

No. In fact, all parts of the plant are edible and pose no threat to people or animals. The flowers are sometimes used to brew teas that are said to have anti-oxidant and medicinal properties.

Is globe amaranth invasive?

No. Although Gomphrena may self-seed under the right conditions, the seedlings are easy to remove from areas where they are unwanted. Not to be confused with the larger Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) which has been ruled invasive in many areas.

IDEAS FOR USING GOMPHRENA

Use in container gardens as a tall accent plant, combining it with a mounding plant, such as verbena or calibrachoa, for a full, lush look. (See this colorful container recipe). Photo by Proven Winners.

Grow in the cutting garden for use in both fresh and dried flower arrangements. (Shown: Truffula® Pink globe amaranth combined with blue angelonia and Suncredible® yellow sunflowers.) Photo by Proven Winners.

Plant in a pollinator garden, along with other sun-loving annuals and perennials that are highly attractive to bees and butterflies. (See this pollinator garden landscape design). Photo by Proven Winners.

Plant taller, airier cultivars in borders among other sun lovers, such as salvia and firecracker plant, to add texture and movement. Because globe amaranth is loaded with flowers from planting time until frost, you won’t need many plants to make a big impact. Photo by Proven Winners.

Use to add vibrant color and whimsical beauty to an informal cottage-style garden, along with other traditional cottage garden favorites. (Try this cottage garden combination.) Photo by Proven Winners.