Outstanding cultivar with high yielding maroon upright panicles. Vigorous and dependable. This is the first choice for broad acre planting. In 1992, a cooperative amaranth breeding program between the Rodale Research Center and the University of Nebraska resulted in the release of the cultivar 'Plainsman', an interspecific hybrid between Amaranthus hypochondriacus L., a gold seeded selection from Mexico, and Amaranthus hybridus L., a black seeded selection from Pakistan. Breeding objectives for 'Plainsman' development were early maturity, light seed color, and short plant height. Single plant selection in earlier generations (F2 to F5) and mass selection in advanced generations (F6 to F7) was used (Baltensperger et al. 1992). 'Plainsman' maturity is very early in Western Nebraska, reaching maturity 110 days after planting.