Amaranth Dragon (The Field Guide to Floral Dragons)

Amaranth dragons can grow up to six feet in length, not including their tails, which can be as long as their bodies. Today, they live for around 80 years, with the oldest recorded amaranth dragon living to the age of 83. Their flowers bloom most commonly in red, but shades of lighter pink and reddish purples are also possible. Despite their bright red flowers, amaranth dragons have excellent camouflage and hide in plain sight. They can stay very still, blending in with their environment. Wanderers often believe that the dragons’ flowery tails are simply amaranth plants growing in the wild. Amaranth dragons have strong, root-like claws that allow them to secure themselves to trees. They boast excellent vision, even at night.

Akin to iguanas shedding their skins, amaranth dragons shed their leaves and flowers before growing new ones. The frequency with which they shed gradually decreases as they age; young amaranth dragons shed roughly once every twenty-eight days, and a mature, undomesticated, amaranth dragon sheds once a year in the spring. The discarded leaves are edible, as are the amaranth seeds the dragons produce.