Flowering plant (weed?) ID

14 years ago

Can someone identify this pink flowering plant? I have been told it is a weed - but what ARE weeds, afterall, but uncultivated, unaltered wildflowers? This is a tough plant that reseeds itself each year in or near the flower bed. It does not bloom until late July or early August, then continues to grow and bloom until frost. I really like it and would like to propagate it, but want to know a little more about it. Thanks for any info!!

Here is a link that might be useful: Pink flowering plant photo on Flickr!

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Comments (9)

gamebird
14 years ago
Looks like astilbe, a flowering grass. The images I see of it on Google are way more flowery and colorful than the variety I had growing in my garden in St. Paul. They're perennial and easy to grow. I wouldn't consider it a weed, as it never spread or got into places I didn't want it.
ilene_in_neok
14 years ago
Is it smartweed?

The flowers on it kind of remind me of Kiss Me Over The Garden Gate.
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Lisa_H OK
14 years ago
I'm siding with Ilene, it looks like smartweed, maybe. I've only had it once, and it wasn't as pretty as yours. ;)

Here is a link that might be useful: Smartweed
owiebrain
14 years ago
Whatever it is, we have it, too, just like in your pic. It's trying to take over the universe. Okay, maybe just the parts of my universe where it needs to not be. Grrr.

I just pulled a bunch more of it out of my herb area this morning.

Diane
OklaMoni
14 years ago
I pulled it out all over my front flower area. At first, I was wondering if it was something I tossed seeds out for.

Then, I just pulled it one day, while weeding.

Moni
tigerdawn
14 years ago
This is Polygonum persicaria, commonly called Knotweed, Smartweed, or Lady's Thumb. It is native to Europe and considered an invasive species here. (I just looked it up so don't be too impressed!)

I've actually been using these plants to fill space in my big new flowerbed for a couple of years. I pull all but 3 or so. They are almost 6 feet tall right now and about 8 feet around. The stems of some of them are bright red and very pretty. The only thing is trying to decide when to cut them all down to prevent a million little babies next year. I let one go to seed in a corner of my vegetable bed last year and this spring I literally had a carpet of little baby plants, and they germinated in succession. I pulled babies for a couple of weeks and they just kept coming. I ended up just spraying them all with roundup.

If you can control its potential to take over, I think it's a really beautiful plant.
okiegardener
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks for the info! I did a search on Polygonum persicaria and I believe that indeed is my volunteer. My flower looks a little fluffier than the photos I saw online, but still very close. Your description, Tigerdawn, also fits. It has not proven too invasive in my flower beds, and actually fills in some bare spots, which is why I leave it. It reseeds each year, but only two or three plants, so I guess conditions aren't excellent for it. Thanks to all for helping solve this mystery! Carolyn
jessaka
14 years ago
I have a plant like that that I was trying to identify. Thanks. I let it grow because it was so pretty. they are easy to pull out if you don't like them. I would like them back in my tiny forest though. I am letting native plants grow back there.
tigerdawn
14 years ago
I wish I had taken a picture of mine before I ripped them all out yesterday. My soil conditions are apparently exactly what it likes because it reseeds like mad for me. So I have to rip it out before it goes to seed. Mine were taller than me and at least 8 feet wide. The upper stems were bright red and there were tons and tons of flowers. I think it would be perfect in a native plant border. The bees and butterflies love it too. Makes me wonder if anyone is working on a domesticated version. I think it has a lot of potential as a bedding plant. I would totally buy a variety with white flowers and those gorgeous red stems.