Amaranths are a genus of annual or transient perennial plants that are found all over the world. Some amaranth species are grown as ornamental plants, pseudocereals, and leaf vegetables. In the summer or fall, catkin-like cymes of closely packed flowers appear. Amaranth can grow longitudinally from 1 to 2.5 meters (3 to 8 feet) tall with a cylindrical, succulent, fibrous stem that is hollow with grooves and bracteoles when mature. The flower, leaf, and stem color of amaranth can vary, with a range of striking pigments from the spectrum of maroon to crimson.