Question: Hi, I'm Alex from Auburn NH. This plant showed up late June and I left it to see what it …
-
Question
Hi, I'm Alex from Auburn NH. This plant showed up late June and I left it to see what it would become. It is now 46" high, spreads about 45" wide. The broadest leaf is 2 3/4" wide and about 9" long from stem to tip. The stock looks like bamboo and is about 1/2" thick. The drapey flowerish beads cascade down, from stem to tip is about 6" long. I thought it might be in the Sea Oats family, however no pics show pinkish beads only grains. I posted on Facebook but no one could identify it. Thank you
Answer
Dear AlexB, you have photographed a species of Persicaria (smartweed), a member of the Polygonaceae (knotweed family). I am not able to identify the species with confidence from the photographs as I cannot see details of the stipules and flowers. It resembles closely Persicaria lapathifolia (dock-leaved smartweed), and may be that species. Best wishes.
