🌿 Hu Hsien Red Leaf Amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor) | Chinese Spinach | Yin Choi

Bring Color, Nutrition & Continuous Summer Harvests to Your Garden

Looking for a leafy green that actually loves Florida summers? Meet Hu Hsien Red Leaf Amaranth—a stunning heirloom vegetable that blurs the line between ornamental beauty and serious food production. While traditional spinach often bolts during hot weather, Hu Hsien thrives in the heat, producing vibrant burgundy and emerald foliage that's as eye-catching in the landscape as it is delicious on your plate.

Whether you're creating an edible landscape, stocking a market garden, or simply looking for a nutritious summer green, this fast-growing heirloom delivers continuous harvests, exceptional flavor, and impressive resilience throughout the warm growing season.

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🌿 Quick Facts

Botanical Name	Amaranthus tricolor
Common Names	Hu Hsien, Chinese Spinach, Yin Choi, Red Leaf Amaranth
Plant Type	Warm-season annual leafy vegetable
Ships In	4-inch nursery container
Estimated Plant Age	Approximately 4–8 weeks
Mature Height	2–4 ft (12–18 inches if harvested regularly)
Mature Width	1–2 ft
USDA Zones	2–11 (grown as a warm-season annual)
Sunlight	Full Sun (6–8+ hours)
Cold Hardiness	Frost sensitive
Container Friendly	Excellent
Harvest Begins	Baby greens in 25–35 days

🌱 Why You'll Love Hu Hsien Red Leaf Amaranth

✔ Beautiful burgundy and emerald foliage

✔ One of the easiest leafy greens for hot climates

✔ Harvest continuously for months

✔ Extremely fast-growing

✔ Beginner-friendly

✔ Outstanding container plant

✔ Excellent edible landscape accent

✔ Heat-loving replacement for spinach

✔ Highly nutritious

✔ Perfect for Florida, the Southeast & Gulf Coast

🌿 A Garden Favorite for Centuries

Originally cultivated throughout Asia, Hu Hsien Red Leaf Amaranth has long been treasured as both a staple vegetable and an ornamental plant. Known as Yin Choi in Chinese cuisine, it remains one of the most popular warm-season leafy greens because it continues producing when cooler-season vegetables like spinach and lettuce have already faded.

Today, gardeners around the world appreciate Hu Hsien not only for its productivity, but also for its dramatic foliage that adds vibrant color to edible landscapes and raised beds.

🍃 Beautiful Enough for the Flower Bed

Hu Hsien is one of those rare vegetables that looks just as impressive in a landscape as it does in the kitchen.

Foliage Features

🌿 Bright green outer margins

❤️ Rich burgundy to fuchsia-red centers

🌿 Brilliant crimson leaf veins

🌿 Large, tender leaves

🌿 Upright, elegant growth habit

Because of its colorful foliage, many gardeners intentionally incorporate Hu Hsien into ornamental beds, pollinator gardens, and food forests.

🥗 One Plant — Endless Meals

Fresh, tender and incredibly versatile, Hu Hsien is enjoyed throughout Asia in countless traditional recipes.

Young Leaves

Perfect for:

🥗 Salads

🥪 Sandwiches

🌮 Wraps

🌱 Microgreens

🌿 Fresh garnishes

Mature Leaves

Excellent for:

🍜 Soups

🍲 Broths

🥘 Stir-fries

🍛 Curries

🥬 Sautéed greens

🍳 Omelets

🥟 Dumpling fillings

Don't Forget the Stems!

Young stems are especially prized for their:

✨ Crisp texture

✨ Mild sweetness

✨ Excellent stir-fry quality

As stems mature, simply peel the outer skin before cooking for a tender bite.

🌿 Flavor Profile

Taste

🥬 Mildly earthy

🥬 Slightly sweet

🥬 Delicate nutty finish

🥬 Similar to spinach with subtle notes reminiscent of artichoke hearts

Texture

✨ Tender

✨ Smooth

✨ Succulent

✨ Crisp stems when harvested young

💪 Tiny Plant • Massive Nutrition

Hu Hsien Red Leaf Amaranth is considered one of the world's most nutrient-dense leafy vegetables.

Naturally rich in:

✅ Vitamin A

✅ Vitamin C

✅ Vitamin K

✅ Iron

✅ Calcium

✅ Magnesium

✅ Potassium

✅ Fiber

✅ Plant protein

✅ Antioxidants

For gardeners in warm climates, it provides an outstanding summer alternative to traditional spinach while remaining productive throughout the hottest months.

☀️ Built for Florida Summers

Unlike spinach, Hu Hsien actually thrives when temperatures climb.

Ideal growing conditions include:

☀️ Full sun

🌡️ Warm temperatures

💧 Regular moisture

🌿 Fertile organic soils

🌴 Florida

🌴 Gulf Coast

🌴 Southeastern United States

Once established, plants tolerate short dry periods but perform best with consistent moisture.

Frost will generally kill plants, making Hu Hsien a true warm-season annual.

🌱 Planting & Growing Guide

Hu Hsien grows beautifully in:

🌱 Raised beds

🌿 Vegetable gardens

🪴 Containers

🌳 Food forests

🌾 Market gardens

🌸 Ornamental edible landscapes

Recommended Spacing

🌱 2–4 inches for baby greens

🌿 8–12 inches for leaf production

🌳 12–18 inches for mature plants

🪴 Growing in Containers

Hu Hsien performs exceptionally well in containers.

Pot Progression

4-inch Pot

⬇️

1-Gallon

⬇️

3-Gallon

⬇️

5-Gallon or Larger

Use a rich, well-draining organic potting mix that retains moisture without becoming waterlogged.

Container plants may require daily watering during Florida summers.

After shipping, allow your plant to recover and produce vigorous new growth before transplanting into a larger container.

🌿 Best Practices for Planting & Care

Before Planting

We recommend allowing all shipped plants to acclimate for approximately 30 days, or until vigorous new growth appears, before transplanting.

Planting

Dig a hole only slightly wider than the container and no deeper than the existing root ball.

At GreenDreams, we recommend planting "High & Tight" by slightly elevating the root crown to improve drainage and encourage healthy root development.

Top dress with:

🌿 Compost

🪱 Worm castings

🌰 Azomite

🌳 Hardwood mulch

Keep mulch several inches away from the stem.

For our planting method, visit our YouTube planting guide.

Watering

💧 Containers: Check daily; water thoroughly when the top inch begins to dry.

💧 In-ground: Water regularly during establishment. Drip irrigation is preferred over overhead watering.

🌾 Organic Growing Tips

Avoid excessive nitrogen fertilizers.

Like many leafy greens, amaranths can accumulate elevated nitrate levels when over-fertilized.

Instead, focus on:

🌿 Compost

🪱 Worm castings

🌱 Organic slow-release fertilizers

🌳 Hardwood mulch

♻️ Healthy living soils

🌻 Build a Better Garden

Hu Hsien becomes even more productive when surrounded by plants that improve biodiversity.

Excellent companions include:

🌻 Mexican Sunflower

🫘 Pole Beans

🥒 Gourds

🌾 Clumping Grasses

🌼 Native pollinator flowers

These plants attract beneficial insects, improve soil health, and help create resilient edible ecosystems.

🔍 Troubleshooting Guide

⚠️ Problem	🧠 Cause	🌿 Organic Solution
🍂 Yellow older leaves	Natural aging	Harvest regularly to encourage new growth
💧 Wilting	Dry soil	Water deeply and mulch around plants
🌸 Early flowering	Plant maturity or heat	Harvest frequently to extend leaf production
🐛 Chewed leaves	Caterpillars or beetles	Hand remove pests or use organic biological controls
💦 Slow growth	Low fertility	Top dress with compost and worm castings

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Is Hu Hsien the same as spinach?

No. Although commonly called Chinese Spinach, it is an amaranth that performs far better during hot weather.

Can I harvest more than once?

Absolutely. Harvest the outer leaves regularly and the plant will continue producing new growth for weeks.

Can it be grown in containers?

Yes. Hu Hsien is an excellent choice for patios, balconies and small-space gardens.

Is it ornamental?

Very much so. The colorful foliage makes it one of the most attractive edible plants you can grow.

Can beginners grow it?

Absolutely! It is one of the easiest leafy vegetables for warm climates.

📦 Before Your Plant Arrives

Your plant ships growing in a healthy 4-inch nursery container and is generally 4–12 weeks old, depending on time during the season.

Upon arrival:

✅ Unpack immediately.

✅ Water if needed.

✅ Allow the plant to recover from shipping.

✅ Wait approximately 30 days or until vigorous new growth appears before transplanting.

Best Shipping Regions

These smaller plants are ideal for:

🌴 Florida

🌴 Southeastern United States

🌴 Texas

🌴 Gulf Coast States

We proudly ship nationwide; however, extended UPS Ground transit times to northern and western states, along with extreme seasonal temperatures, may increase plant stress. California shipments may also experience inspection delays. Buyer assumes the risks associated with extended transit and seasonal weather. Larger plant sizes are recommended whenever available for customers outside our primary shipping region.

All live plants ship every Monday from Florida via UPS Ground.

🌿 Available for Local Pickup

Looking for larger specimens or additional edible plants?

GreenDreams Nursery & Farm

📍 18709 US Hwy. 41, Spring Hill, FL 34610

🕘 Tuesday–Friday: 9 AM–5 PM

🌞 Saturday: 8 AM–3 PM

Stop by our regenerative nursery to discover hundreds of fruit trees, edible plants, native species and food forest favorites not always available online.

🌳 Beyond the Plant: GreenDreams Services

At GreenDreams, we do more than grow plants—we help build thriving ecosystems.

🌳 Edible landscape design

🌿 Onsite consultations

🚜 Installation & project management

🚚 Compost, mulch, biochar & soil delivery

🌾 Wholesale regenerative agriculture solutions

Whether you're planting a single raised bed or designing an entire food forest, we're here to help you grow with confidence.