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Cutting back and dividing Giant Fleeceflowers

15 years ago

I have two 6 ft. Persicaria Polymorphias that I'd love to cut back and split. But, I can't get to it until mid October. Is that too late for Zone 5? I don't want to lose them as they really fill in the back of the garden.

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Comments (8)

laceyvail 6A, WV
15 years ago
I'd wait until spring. Persicaria polymorpha is very easy to divide--or remove for that matter. You don't have to worry about getting much root; just growth buds sections that divide right out. Don't dig up the entire plant, just cut out sections. I've cut off sections many times for starts for others.
janicej11
Original Author
15 years ago
Laceyvail - I was going to cut it back and split it into 3 plants, so I'm not sure about cutting out sections?
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felisar (z5)
15 years ago
If you split your Persicaria next spring would you be interested in trading? I have wanted that plant for quite awhile. Email me at frahn_us@yahoo.com.

Thanks,

Felisa
woodyoak zone 5 southern Ont., Canada
15 years ago
Another easy way to multiply the P. polymorpha is to take cuttings in spring when the plants are ~18" tall, but before the stems get hollow. The cuttings root easily. I've never divided the clumps but have started more plants from cuttings several times. I dip the cuttings in rooting hormone and put them in a container of damp perlite or vermiculite. (I suspect they'd root in water too but the perlite/vermiculite give the developing roots something to latch onto.)
arbo_retum
15 years ago
felisa,you can come take a hunk of mine when you come to pick up those melica seeds you wanted...!

lacey and janice,
mine is in a very wet spot. yours?
best,
mindy
janicej11
Original Author
15 years ago
Mindy,
When we had the terrific rains a few weeks ago, it was in a very wet spot. Otherwise, it's average. It lives among a full garden of other perennials that seem happy with watering every other day.
linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)
15 years ago
Mine is in a spot that gets a bit too damp. It is expanding to the point to eating other mild mannered perennials. But it makes a wonderful dramatic backdrop to the rest of the bed. IÂd like to dig it up and move at least parts of it (dramatic backdrops are useful in many areas!) and start over with a smaller part of it, but IÂm afraid of losing it. So itÂs good to read these various experiences.

It sent up an off shoot well apart from the parent 2 years ago, I cut that off and replanted it. It died. I tried seeing if I could dig it up and divide it but the roots went way too far down. Then I tried rooting cuttings last spring, those died (but I have trouble rooting anything, I think maybe it could be my water, or maybe I just donÂt change it often enough).

I thought of trying an axe next time and just chopping off a part just when itÂs emerging, if that would not injure the main plant too much. The crown is over a foot across and very dense.
laceyvail 6A, WV
15 years ago
Chopping off sections has worked fine with mine. And when I dug and removed one last spring, it came apart easily into three or four pieces. I doubt you can kill this plant.

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