What is this mystery plant? Is it Amaranthus?
Do you all help with identifying plants? My mom has a mystery plant that popped up in her front yard earlier this year. A neighbor down the street has a similar plant in his yard so the plant apparently migrated down the block. The attached picture was taken today.
Answer
The plant is indeed an an amaranth; it is commonly known as Amaranthus 'Elephant Head.' There seems to be some tiny bit of confusion re the correct nomenclature. It was known as Amaranthus gangeticus "Elephant Head,' but apparently the correct name is Amaranthus tricolor (just like almost every other amaranth except for the 'Elephant Head' cultivar). If you want to get more of this (though from the pix I find, it looks like there could be too much of a good thing) Call it Elephant's Head, and probably buy seeds and grow it that way; it is, by the way, an annual.