• Green Thandu Keerai – Dantina Soppu in Kannada, heirloom amaranth greens
  • Green Thandu Keerai seeds – heirloom, non-GMO amaranth greens from Inherited Seeds
  • Green Thandu Keerai, known as Thotakura Kada in Telugu
  • Green Thandu Keerai amaranth greens (Amaranthus tricolor (green stem type))
  • Green Thandu Keerai, also called Green Stem Amaranth
  • Heirloom Green Thandu Keerai amaranth greens for home gardens
1 6

Amaranth Green Stem / Thandu Keerai / Totakoora

Amaranth Green Stem / Thandu Keerai / Totakoora

$4.29 USD
$4.79 USD $4.29 USD
Sale Sold out
Shipping calculated at checkout.

Green Thandu Keerai · Heirloom · Open-Pollinated · Naturally Grown · Non-GMO · Traditional to South India

Green Thandu Keerai is the green stem amaranth South Indian cooks grow for its thick, juicy stems as much as its tender leaves. Young plants give mild greens for masiyal and poriyal in under a month. Let them grow a few weeks more and the stems thicken into a crunchy vegetable for thandu kootu and sambar. It's fast, heat-loving and grown here in the USA.

Why Grow Green Thandu Keerai?

  • Thick, juicy stems plus tender, mild greens
  • Greens in 25–30 days, stems in 40–50
  • Thrives in summer heat
  • Cut-and-come-again harvests
  • Seed grown in the USA

Plant Profile

Botanical Name: Amaranthus tricolor (green stem type)

Common Name: Green Thandu Keerai, Green Stem Amaranth, Totakoora

Type: Heirloom, open-pollinated

Crop: Leafy green and edible stem

Leaf Color: Bright green leaves on thick green stems

Plant Habit: Upright, 3–4 ft if left to grow

Season: Warm season, late spring through early fall

Sun: Full sun

Days to Harvest: 25–30 days for greens; 40–50 days for thick stems

Sowing Depth: 1/8 in., barely covered

Germination: 5–10 days at 70–85°F soil

Harvest: Cut young tops for greens, or harvest whole plants for stems

Garden Use: Raised beds, containers, grow bags

Culinary & Traditional Uses

Thandu keerai stems are peeled lightly and sliced; the leaves cook like spinach.

  • Thandu Keerai Kootu: stems with moong dal and coconut
  • Keerai Thandu Sambar
  • Thotakura Kada Kura: Andhra stem curry
  • Keerai Poriyal and Masiyal
  • Mor Kootu with buttermilk and coconut
  • Thotakura Pappu

How to Grow

Green stem amaranth is quick and easy. Sow directly outdoors once the soil warms.

  1. Sow outdoors 1–2 weeks after your last frost date, when soil is 65°F or warmer.
  2. Prepare loose, compost-rich soil, or use a container 8–10 in. deep.
  3. Mix seeds with fine sand and sow thinly in rows 12 in. apart. Cover with 1/8 in. of soil.
  4. Keep soil evenly moist; seedlings appear in 5–10 days.
  5. Thin to 4–6 in. for greens or 8–10 in. for stems and full-size plants.
  6. Cut tops for greens at 20–30 days, or let stems thicken for 40–50 days.
  7. Pinch flower spikes to keep leaves and stems tender.

What NOT To Do

  • Don't sow into cold soil
  • Don't bury the seeds deep
  • Don't let plants flower if you want tender greens
  • Don't let the soil dry out

Regional & International Names

  • Tamil: Thandu Keerai (தண்டுக் கீரை)
  • Telugu: Thotakura Kada (తోటకూర కాడ)
  • Kannada: Dantina Soppu (ದಂಟಿನ ಸೊಪ್ಪು)
  • Malayalam: Pacha Cheera (പച്ച ചീര)
  • Hindi: Hari Chaulai (हरी चौलाई)
  • Bengali: Data Shak (ডাঁটা শাক)
  • English: Green Stem Amaranth

FAQ

How is this different from Green Totakoora and Mulai Keerai?
Green Thandu Keerai is grown longer for its thick stems. Green Totakoora is grown for leaves, and Mulai Keerai is harvested very young.

When do I harvest the stems?
About 40–50 days after sowing, before flowering, while stems snap easily.

Can I grow it in a grow bag?
Yes. A 7–10 gallon grow bag holds 4–6 plants for stems.

View full details