Amaranthus caudatus (Love-Lies-Bleeding)

Native from Ecuador through Peru and Bolivia to northwestern Argentina, this annual herb grows about 3 to 5 feet tall. Long, drooping tassels contain many tiny flowers without petals, usually red to burgundy or golden yellow. The tassels remain colorful through a long flowering season and are also used in dried arrangements. Its small seeds are cultivated as a grain crop, and the leaves are eaten as a vegetable. It has been introduced widely beyond its native range. Photographed in Colombia.