Amaranthus deflexus is also known by the common names large-fruit amaranth, low amaranth, and Argentina amaranth, since it is native to South America

South America

South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...

. It is a short-lived perennial

Perennial plant

A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. The term is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter lived annuals and biennials. The term is sometimes misused by commercial gardeners or horticulturalists to describe only herbaceous perennials...

 or annual plant

Annual plant

An annual plant is a plant that usually germinates, flowers, and dies in a year or season. True annuals will only live longer than a year if they are prevented from setting seed...

. The plant can grow up to 1.5 ft (0.5 m) in height.

It flowers in the summer to fall, and was introduced into many states. It has been introduced into many warm or temperate regions of the globe. It grows best in weedy areas or in disturbed habitats.

A natural hybrid of Amaranthus deflexus and Amaranthus muricatus has been described in Europe, and is known as Amaranthus x tarraconensis.