The homeland of this grain crop is South America. Quinoa grows on the slopes of the Andes. It has ancient origins and was one of the most important types of food along with corn and potatoes.
Quinoa is a very spectacular annual plant. It can grow up to 4 m in height, but is usually lower - 1.5–2 m. It has a strong branched stem and alternate leaves, reminiscent of the shape of a goose's paw. On young plants they are green, but when the grain begins to ripen, the leaves turn yellow, red or purple. After flowering, it forms tall candle-like racemes (like sorghum) or panicles of white, yellow and red colors, consisting of individual clusters. The harvest comes quite quickly - 120 days from the moment of germination.
It is extremely undemanding to soils and produces good yields even in very poor and waste areas. Moreover, even acidity does not matter for it - it can grow on both acidic and alkaline ones.