Keys View in Joshua Tree National Park is often visited by forceful winds, whipping across the peaks of the Little San Bernardino Mountains. In spite of the areas gusty inclinations, only the slightest breezy caress is necessary to evoke the soothing and ethereal presence of Amaranthus Fimbriatus, casually known as Fringed Amaranth.
The slender stalks of Amaranthus Fimbriatus present in agreeable shades of green and dark red, although populations in the area surrounding Keys View are predominantly maroon. Their terminal tips, covered in clusters of small flowers, often curl over and droop. Rarely exceeding 24 inches in height, Fringed Amaranth tends to congregate in clumps spaced several feet apart. This plant is classified Glabrous in botany, meaning smooth, lacking in scales, bristles, or hair like organs.
Although native to the Keys View Area, A. Fimbriatus is also found throughout the southwest United States and portions of Mexico. It prefers sandy soils and usually blooms after summer monsoons. Amaranthus as a Genus contains approximately 60 accepted species of annual and short lived perennial plants, some considered invasive weeds.
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