Lakeshore Garden Centres Plant Finder

Other Names:  Smartweed, syn. Polygonum capitatum

Description:

An interesting groundcover; pointy, ovate leaves are dark green, with a burgundy V shaped marking; pink button flowers rise on cherry red stems in summer; an exceptional choice for season-long color

Ornamental Features

Pink Knotweed has masses of beautiful pink button flowers rising above the foliage from mid summer to mid fall, which are most effective when planted in groupings. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its attractive pointy leaves emerge coppery-bronze in spring, turning dark green in colour with prominent burgundy stripes throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Pink Knotweed is an herbaceous annual with a ground-hugging habit of growth. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Spreading
• Self-Seeding

Pink Knotweed is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Groundcover
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
• Container Planting
• Bog Gardens

Planting & Growing

Pink Knotweed will grow to be only 3 inches tall at maturity extending to 5 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 30 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 24 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. Although it's not a true annual, this fast-growing plant can be expected to behave as an annual in our climate if left outdoors over the winter, usually needing replacement the following year. As such, gardeners should take into consideration that it will perform differently than it would in its native habitat.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It is quite adaptable, prefering to grow in average to wet conditions, and will even tolerate some standing water. This plant does not require much in the way of fertilizing once established. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This species is not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division.

Pink Knotweed is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its spreading habit of growth, it is ideally suited for use as a 'spiller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the edges where it can spill gracefully over the pot. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.