An Amaranthus?

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:265408}}

"Any ideas on getting them to grow?"

Buy fresh seeds, yours are dead.

HTH
Chris

Some varieties of Celosia get very tall too. There are all red varieties. Celosia is related to amaranthus.
Remy

It could be Amaranthus Caudatus. It is native of Tropical America, but it has naturalized in many areas, including mine. I usually wack them back to about four inches off of the ground so that they spread horizontally instead of vertically, but if i let them grow as they wish, they can get pretty tall. Here's a picture of some amaranthus caudatus for you to compare. Remember that i hack mine back pretty far to get the horizontal growth.

Here they are all over the floor. The ones to the right were mowed over, and the ones on the left weren't, so they are taller.
{{gwi:265418}}

And here's another one on the left hand side, before the plumes (flowers)
{{gwi:265420}}

Compare your grandmother's plants with the ones in the photos.

Thanks for the help...

But I am 6'1" and these thing were as tall as I
am...

I am now trying to find tricks of getting seed to
grow....

There is some use of tea to help them started...

Hi Anne,
Did it looks like this?
{{gwi:265422}}
Remy

Remy
Are the plants in your red bed Celosia? I have one in my
bed and didn't know what it was. It is 5ft tall. Sure
does not look like my other Celosia.

Elaine,
No that is a red Amaranth in a friend's garden that gets really big. There are celosias that get really big. I got seeds from a trader over the winter for one that looks like Pink Flamingo on steroids. Most of the big celosias are old heirlooms. The newer ones companies come out with are shorter bedding varieties.
Remy

Thanks for the help, and the pictures. But none of
the pictures looked like the plant.

It actually looked more like a red corn stalk, with
plumes.

I was wondering whether it might actually have been a grain rather than a herbaceous plant. Some kind of Sorgum? Millet?

Anne,
Are the seeds like tiny teardrops? If so then it was a millet as Flora suggested. Purple Majesty is a popular one out now. I don't know of a red one off hand, but I'm sure some exist.
Remy

Here is a link that might be useful: Page with Purple Majesty Millet

Hi Anne,

I have an Amaranthus that sounds like the one that you described. If you send me your e-mail address, I can send you a picture of mine and if it is the same as what your grandmother had I will be happy to send you seeds! By the way they are very easy to germinate.

Carol

It sounds very much like Amaranthus cruentus, 'Hopi Red Dye'. -It gets to be 6 feet tall.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:265413}}

Susan,
Lol, my pic disappeared(I don't know what I did,)but it is also of a large red amaranth. The original poster never responded to say if it was or wasn't an amaranth.
Here's the pic again.
{{gwi:265423}}
Remy