Water Amaranth Plant Care
Centrostachys aquatica (R.Br.) Moq.
Updated ยท Sources ยท How we source care data
Centrostachys aquatica is a species of flowering plants belonging to the family Amaranthaceae. It is the sole species in genus Centrostachys.
Bright indirect light
At a glance
How do you care for Water Amaranth?
Water Amaranth grows best in bright indirect light.
Where Is the Water Amaranth Native To?
- Angola
- Bangladesh
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Botswana
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Cape Verde
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- China
- Cรดte d'Ivoire
- Djibouti
- DR Congo
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- India
- Indonesia
- Kenya
- Laos
- Liberia
- Malawi
- Maldives
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Mozambique
- Myanmar
- Nepal
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Republic of the Congo
- Rwanda
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- The Gambia
- Togo
- Uganda
- Vietnam
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
What Is the Water Amaranth?
Water Amaranth (Centrostachys aquatica) belongs to the Amaranthaceae family within the Centrostachys genus. Water Amaranth is native to tropical Africa south to Botswana, and to the Indian subcontinent, Indochina, southeastern China, and Java. Water Amaranth is also known as Purple Amaranth.
Water Amaranth displays a low rosette, spreading growth habit, reaching up to tall with a spread of approximately . Water Amaranth produces small inconspicuous flowers in clusters.
What Light Does the Water Amaranth Need?
Water Amaranth thrives in bright indirect light. Avoid placing Water Amaranth in direct, harsh sunlight for extended periods, as this can scorch the foliage.
Light Requirement
Bright indirect light
What Soil Mix Works Best for a Water Amaranth?
Well-draining sandy soil mix with added organic matter. Good drainage is essential for Water Amaranth to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.
How Do You Repot a Water Amaranth?
Repot every 1-2 years in early spring. Choose a pot one size larger than the current container, and ensure it has drainage holes to allow excess water to escape.
How Do You Propagate a Water Amaranth?
Water Amaranth can be propagated through seeds, stem cuttings.
Is the Water Amaranth Toxic to Pets and Children?
Pet safety not verified
The ASPCA does not list Water Amaranth, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Keep pets from chewing it as a precaution.
This is a general caution, not veterinary or medical advice. If your pet ate a plant, contact your vet or animal poison control.
See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.
What Pests and Diseases Affect the Water Amaranth?
Water Amaranth is susceptible to aphids, spider mites, whiteflies. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.
Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.
Keep exploring plants
Water Amaranth is one of many species covered in the complete plant care and identification guide, which groups plants by genus, attribute, and popularity.
It belongs to the Centrostachys genus (family Amaranthaceae) โ search all Centrostachys species in the plant lookup.
Water Amaranth thrives in bright light and direct sun โ see other bright-light plants.
Related Plant Care Guides
Closely related plants with similar care requirements:
Sources
- Scientific name & taxonomy: Centrostachys aquatica (R.Br.) Moq., family Amaranthaceae (first published in Prodr. 13(2): 321 1849) โ World Flora Online record.
- Pet toxicity: Pet safety not verified: the ASPCA does not list Water Amaranth, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Checked against the ASPCA plant list; any other toxicity note on this page comes from PlantoScan's plant database.
- Care values(watering, light, temperature, humidity, soil, fertilizing): PlantoScan's plant database, filtered by automatic plausibility checks โ values that fail them are hidden. How we source and check plant data.
Spotted a mistake? Email info@upvision.media with the page link โ we check and correct reported errors.
