Amaranthus cruentus is a tall annual herb topped with clusters of dark pink flowers.

They are ground into flour, popped like popcorn, cooked into a porridge, or made into a confectionery called alegría.

Among the Zuni people, the feathery part of a plant is ground into a fine meal and used to color ceremonial bread red.

[7] In the Kinnaur District of Himachal Pradesh (India), the grain is used to make kheer and served mostly as dessert during marriage ceremonies.

It is usually grown from seed as a half-hardy annual, that is sown under glass in early spring and planted out in summer.