How to Grow Callaloos

At a Glance

Quick Facts

Factor	Value
Soil texture	light, medium or heavy soil, prefers well-drained fertile ground (PFAF)
Drainage	well-drained
Lifecycle	annual
Edible parts	leaves, leafy stems, flower clusters, seeds

Soil & Growing Conditions

Water: moist soil, hot sheltered conditions required (PFAF)

Growth Stages

Stage	BBCH	Notes
Sowing	0	Sow after the last frost, direct or indoors under glass; germination is rapid and good in warm soil (PFAF, Garden Organic).
Transplanting	1	Transplant 3-week-old seedlings; plant every 2-4 weeks for a continuous harvest (Garden Organic).
Leaf growth	3	Requires hot, sheltered conditions and consistently moist soil; cannot grow in shade (PFAF).
Cut-and-come-again harvest	8	Harvest leaves and leafy stems as needed, cooked like spinach; tolerant of poor soil once established (Garden Organic).

Harvest & Storage

When to pick: Harvest leaves and leafy stems as a cut-and-come-again crop, cooked like spinach; flower clusters and small (about 1mm) seeds are also edible, seeds cooked whole. Avoid inorganic fertilisers, which cause nitrate concentration in the leaves (PFAF).

Diseases

Damping-off (seedling collapse)

low

Rhizoctonia solani

Damping-off (seedling collapse at soil line); Wilting with chlorotic, dropping leaves

Likely rather than confirmed: no source names this crop directly, but it shares a genus (Amaranthus) with Grain Amaranth, which lists this disease.

Pests

Amaranth stem weevil and leaf-feeding caterpillars

moderate

Hypolixus truncatulus; Spodoptera spp.; Hymenia recurvalis

Likely rather than confirmed: no source names this crop directly, but it shares a genus (Amaranthus) with Grain Amaranth, which lists this pest.

Flea beetles

low

Chrysomelidae: Alticini (various spp.)

Likely rather than confirmed: no source names this crop directly, but it shares a genus (Amaranthus) with Grain Amaranth, which lists this pest.

Callaloo, a Distinct Leaf Amaranth

Cooked like spinach

Leaves and leafy stems are harvested cut-and-come-again and cooked like spinach; flower clusters and tiny seeds are also edible.

What the research guides add

The University of Florida guide covers vegetable amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor), one of the leaf amaranths sold as callaloo, and it gives clear temperature limits.

• Germination of vegetable amaranth is rapid when soil temperature is higher than 68°F, and may slow down or fail if the soil is below 50°F; seed usually should be sown when soil reaches 70°F after the last frost. (UF/IFAS Extension)
• It grows optimally at 70 to 85°F and can tolerate 50 to 110°F, but plants cannot survive below 40°F because of chilling injury. (UF/IFAS Extension)
• Sow seed ⅛ to ¼ inch deep; in a garden, space seeds 1 inch apart and thin to 6 inches as the plants grow. Seed germinates about a week after planting. (UF/IFAS Extension)
• It prefers full sun but tolerates partial shade if it is hot, and grows on a wide range of soils, preferring well-drained, fertile soil. Water regularly and evenly, because severe water deficiency causes early flowering. (UF/IFAS Extension)
• Leaves are ready about 30 days after sowing. Pull the whole plant for a one-time harvest, or for repeat cuts remove a partial leaf at the first harvest so the plant regrows and can be cut again within two weeks. (UF/IFAS Extension)

Sources for this section

• University of Florida IFAS Extension: HS1407 Production Guide of Vegetable Amaranth for Florida

Section researched and checked on 25 October 2026 by the SoilCommander Editorial Team. How we check facts: editorial policy.

Sources

1. PFAF (Plants For A Future) - Amaranthus viridis Calalu, Slender amaranth

   A secondary gardening reference rather than a university or horticultural authority, used as the primary source as no RHS or equivalent authority growing profile exists for this specific species, explicitly disclosed. An annual reaching about 0.5m (1ft 8in) tall, monoecious, wind-pollinated, self-fertile. Native to tropical North America (original habitat obscure), now a weed throughout warm regions globally. Soil: light, medium or heavy, prefers well-drained fertile soil, mildly acidic to mildly alkaline pH. Sow seed in late spring direct or earlier indoors under glass; germination is usually rapid and good in warm soil, aided by an overnight temperature drop; cuttings root readily. Edible leaves (cooked like spinach), leafy stems, flower clusters, and small (about 1mm) seeds, cooked whole. Requires hot, sheltered conditions and moist soil. HAZARD: when grown on nitrogen-rich soils, concentrates nitrates in the leaves, a health concern including stomach cancer risk -- avoid inorganic fertilisers.

2. Plants For A Future (PFAF) - Amaranthus viridis

   PFAF entry for Amaranthus viridis. Fetched and parsed directly for the USDA hardiness rating.

These 2 sources are specific to this region. The full list of 3 sources behind this guide (Garden Organic, PFAF (Plants For A Future), Plants For A Future (PFAF)) is in the references of our UK guide to callaloo; they describe the plant itself, which is the same wherever it grows.