Amaranth
a common name for several old-fashioned garden favorites, including cockscomb, prince's feather, and love-lies-bleeding. The word is Greek, signifying everlasting or unfading. The color of the plumes is due to the scales that protect the apetalous, inconspicuous flowers. The scales retain their brilliant color in drying; hence the amaranth is an emblem of immortality. There are some five hundred species, including our coarse pigweed and several tumble weeds. In southern Europe, especially Portugal, the globe amaranth is used in place of holly and ivy for festal and church decorations.
Immortal amaranth! a flower which once
In paradise, fast by the tree of life
Began to bloom; but soon for man's offence
To heaven removed, where first it grew, there grows
And flowers aloft, shading the fount of life,
And where the river of bliss through midst of heaven
Rolls o'er Elysian flowers her amber stream:
With these that never fade the spirits elect
Bind their resplendent locks.--Milton, Paradise Lost.
In paradise, fast by the tree of life
Began to bloom; but soon for man's offence
To heaven removed, where first it grew, there grows
And flowers aloft, shading the fount of life,
And where the river of bliss through midst of heaven
Rolls o'er Elysian flowers her amber stream:
With these that never fade the spirits elect
Bind their resplendent locks.--Milton, Paradise Lost.
Volume I · Aiton’s Encyclopedia