I've had a few over the years, I only have one at present Persicaria bistorta 'Superba'. One of the ones I lost was Persicaria campanulata, didn't like an especially wet winter. I've been wanting to replace it for a long time but not having any luck :(. Anyone know where I might find it in Canada?
The only one I have at present, yes, it's a spreader but I really like it is P. bistorta 'Superba' I just pull when it creeps a little too far. This is it behind the Centaura montana.

Re Centaurea montana:

I find that the ready reseeding of Centaurea montana, which is a hardy annual, makes it difficult to use in single mixed perennial beds. The need to dig out the seedlings yearly (in order to maintain perennial plant diversity) makes avoidable work.

As per the picture above, obviously there are situations in which it is desirable to use the plant, but not if the intent is to have changing colour throughout the growing season in individual mixed perennial beds. I suspect that it's seedlings don't get shaded out so much (by taller perennials) because it starts flowering quite early in the growing season so the seedlings get a head-start.

Yes that C. montana can be a pain you know where LOL. I just finished pulling and digging a LOT out.

Well AM, if we're not digging out one thing, then we're just digging out something else!

catkin, you certainly won't have the hardiness issues we have. lol! I tried and failed to grow P. amplexicaulis 'Blackfield'.

P. virginiana 'Painters Palette' is still alive after several years in the garden, but is a mere shadow of its former self. Here it is on its 2nd year in a very young garden.

Not sure if you will get enough detail. Closer shot a couple of years later.

My absolute favorite is Persicaria polymorpha. It is consistently 6' tall and nearly as wide so you do need space but it is a tight clump. It is quick to reach maturity and starts blooming here in late May and continues through fall when the seed heads are attractive. Love it!

I love the look of the P. polymorpha. I don't see any mention of it seeding around - it that an issue? I've always been a bit afraid to plant any kind of Persicaria since when I was a kid we had some type of weedy Persicaria that seeded itself everywhere.

Seeding is not an issue for me. There has been one seedling and I was delighted to have it. I researched it thouroughly NHBabs for that same reason. I do not remove the seed heads until they start to look tatty, so if they were going to be a problem I have given them ample opportunity to do so.

Have never seen our three perennial Persicaria cultivars seeding, the Persicaria being some of the few large perennials which I don't promptly deadhead after flowering.

However, was just reading about the annual Persicaria perfoliata ("mile-a-minute vine") which had to complete its invasion of the mid-Atlantic and north-eastern U.S. simply by seeding.

Thanks, Peren.all and SunnyBorders.

I've been wanting that polymorpha for a while--can't I haven't gotten it yet! Thanks for the pics of that David!

I really like the 'Superba's' fatness and color!

The corals really light up the border! Sunny thank you! AM great shot of your garden!

I have one that is a deeper pink and it just has such long lasting appeal, IMO. I think it's amplexicaulis and has traveled to about 2-1/2' in quite a few years, not too bad! I may transplant a chunk elsewhere!

Peren--which Phlox is that? It sure looks nice with the creamy froth of the polymorpha!

The 'Blackfield' is a great color, too!

Thanks to all.

catkin It does look like Phlox in the pic but it is Campanula lactiflora 'Prichard's Variety'. Lovely thing.

'catkin', persicaria is one of my most fave genus! I have several but for sure I love "Golden Arrow" the most. Regulars on this forum must roll their eyes each year when I again extoll the virtues of this plant. It is in bloom 2 months. Its bright light green foliage just glows in (much) less than full sun locations and it has always been hardy for me. I am looking for some really good pics I have but till then this one will suffice?

(Great pic 'peren' of your PP (coupled with that phlox?))

rouge That Campanula is a real trickster! See my post just above yours.

I notice that Amemone seems to be a popular companion for Persicarias. I see it in your pic rouge and I have it near P. v. 'Painter's Palette'.

'Golden Arrow' is very nice. Like SB I may have to add that one to my repertoire!

Persicaria amplexicaulis is one of my favorite
perennials. It has a long flowering season, it doesn't usually flop, it
is healthy and can be combined with many taller growing perennials. One of the few things it does not have is a winter silhouette.

I
got three cultivars in my garden: a red flowering form, the pinky-white
Roseum and Blackfield. This last one is a fairly slow grower for me but
maybe that's because it is not in a good spot. I have made pictures of
'Blackfield' but can't find them on my computer.

I had Persicaria bistorta Superba in my old garden but it was very rampant so I got rid of it. Looks good though and it is nice to see it in OTHER people's gardens!

Persicaria
affinis looks awfull in winter with those brown leafs: either stay
green or loose your leafs! (The only exception I make is for a beech
hedge).

(and yes, Persicaria combines very well with anemones)

Rouge, that's a beauty--thanks for sharing!

Prince thanks for those photos, do you have the exact name for the deep red form with the Anemone? That's just so pretty. Are the two plants traveling into one another?

Peren thank you for clarifying!

CatkinZ8a: Unfortunately I don't know the exact name of that red Persicaria amplexicaulis. Bought 3 of them 15 years ago and they now are one solid clump. If I start guessing: it could be 'Speciosa'. That Anemone is 'Honorine Jobert' and her roots travel towards the Persicaria clump and intermingle with some parts of that clump.

I just remembered that I also had 'Inverleith', an amplexicaulis cultivar that does not grow as tall as the others. It had weak legs and flopped so not very gardenworthy in my opinion.

(Gorgeous shots 'gprince')

Rouge, that's a beauty--thanks for sharing

Thanks of course. What I like about GA is the darker red flower ie not so pink, coupled with the very bright light green foliage.

I have tried to convince esteemed member 'woodyoak' to include at least one in her garden but w/o success. She is worried that it will spread (as some persicarias do). But I can say unequivocally that GA is well behaved in that respect. I may just drop one off unannounced at her door!

Thanks GP!
Rouge, I tend to get carried away with golden/limey green foliage!

..oh goodness that 'Golden Arrow' I think I've got to have it... lovely... thanks for showing us, I hadn't heard of this one before....

Mmmm, persicaria - a plant genus which has never been on my radar - never liked the look of them but mainly, I had the tiniest garden in the world (in shade) and then the most gloriously open and sunny allotment...so a whole tranche of large shade-lovers may as well have not existed...until recently, when faced with a huge woodland to plant. Having grown (too) fond of airy enormous perennials (most especially the umbellifers) and a myriad of compositae, I am struggling to bring myself down to woodland level. Yes, those little mertensias and omphalodes are bright jewels but I need structure and heft so am looking at persicarias (and aruncus, actaea and inulas etc.) with new eyes...although the trees are still winning in the greed and aquisition race while shrubs (another unknown apart from roses and deutzias) are lagging behind. Even so, a whole precious allotment bed has been taken over with dozens of hardwood cuttings so hopefully, an understorey is on the cards - although I am still loving the cathedral light of tall trees with light canopies.

Anyone heard of Persicaria "Fire Mite"? I see it listed here but no where else on the web.

FIRE MITE

Go forth and conquer, Camp! (and fall in love with shrubs!)

rouge, I can't say how many times I've seen the most awesome plants pictured on gardening blogs only to be frustrated by either not being able to find them for sale or only sold in other countries!

'SB' wrote:

'Dimity', also long flowering, is a dwarf form, useful for edges.

SunnyBorders was kind enough to give me a couple of clumps of 'Dimity' a couple of seasons ago and it does make for a hardy flowering ground cover. I have it now in several places in our property? (If in doubt I plant some more 'Dimity'!)

rouge That Campanula is a real trickster! See my post just above yours.

Wow that's embarrassing....learn something new every day.

Is persicaria Golden Arrow hardy in my zone 4? Love the pictures.

It has been very hardy in our garden (we have probably 5 planted at various locations). Give it a go growlove.

I'd like to put this update on here about my Persicaria amplexicaulis 'J.S. Caliente' I mentioned earlier.... I don't like this one at all... the flower colour is supposed to be a hot orangey/red, as the name implies, but I find it a dull pink, and completely ineffective... it does nothing for me whatsoever, I'm hugely disappointed....

...I think it'll have to come out... unless I give it one more go in another location... preferably out of the way... I would post a photo but honestly the spikes are just too dull to bother...

Any thoughts on how Golden Arrow would do in filtered sunlight? I have a large birch tree and I was thinking of planting it not directly under the tree, but still under the far reaches of the branch canopy.

What a shame Marlorena. It has happened to me too with a different plant. It does not much matter if tags got mixed up or the plants were not true to name, once we have spent the time growing and anticipating. Will you try another one if you see it in bloom?

...No I don't think so peren.all.... it gives me the opportunity to plant something else instead.... I haven't the time or space to put up with plants that underperform.... which is such a shame as it's not something I enjoy doing really....but I would need a huge garden for all my discards over the years....

Just reread this post about persicaria and thought I would add my experience to date with Painters Palette. I have had this in my gardens for 10 years? Maybe longer and have moved it around quite a bit. I have found here that it does the best with less than 5-6 hours of sun. It really appreciates a decent amount of shade. It looks great all season.

Sherry

That is good news. I am happy it got mucho caliente!

Mar, that's beautiful!

Outstanding Marlorena! That is a perfect combo.

Any thoughts on how Golden Arrow would do in filtered sunlight?

It would do fine in filtered light. But it won't do well in dry conditions

UPDATE on two of these aforementioned persicarias:

"Painter's Palette":

"Golden Arrows":

How have your persicarias done this season? Pictures?

I had several Golden Arrows limping along in dry shade. After (still during, really) this drought there's two left. I'm going to move them to moister part shade.

I have two big stands of p.polymorpha. If anyone has moved or divided theirs, tell me what to expect. (will a shove do, or will I need a maddock, or pick ax and my husband?)

'Marie', they would definitely "limp" in dry shade!

I have 2 Persicaria polymorpha that I love but will most likely move from the garden proper into the south 40 where they can do their thing without taking over. They are enormous despite cutting them down 2x each summer. They seed themselves in the middle of my nicest grasses and hide until they are too big to easily pull. They get floppy in late summer and crush everything around them. We have tried decreasing its' size by hacking out part of the root but this just seems to give it a boost! Staking is out of the question (have tried). Despite the negatives, it is a gorgeous plant that always attracts attention. I especially love the flower change in late summer from white to pink and mauve.

They sell it at our very good local nursery and I suggested they inform folks that it is not a plant for small gardens unless the plan is for one plant.

I live in the PNW so would be interested to hear if it is thuggish in other zones. I do have several other Persicarias including Taurus which I love. I have it in partial shade which helps to cut down the watering in our now droughty summers. The limey green foilage and bright rose flowers pop in the light shade.

I don't have any in the garden other than P. superba right now but have grown 'Painter's Palette' and a couple of others but they finally died out. The one I would love to find again is Persicaria campanulata. No one seems to growing this one. Love the foliage, flowers aren't too shabby either.

Annette

The only one I have ever grown is Painter's Palette. It grow like a weed. I just pull the ones out that are not pretty. It seems to seed a green and purple one. I pull those out.

My Painter's Palette barely survived in my zone 5 garden in the shade. This year I moved it into a sunny location and kept it watered well and it seems happier. I hope it makes it, the leaves are so interesting.

I don't have any in the garden other than P. superba

I remember seeing this plant in wonderful pictures you have posted. I would really like to have this one but I can never find the right place for it. I need to try harder.

Two of our "Golden Arrows" now in full bloom.

I don't like them...but otoh, I have said that about dozens of plants so this year, I am dipping my toes in the water with an annual - persicaria orientalis - to go along the eastern edge grasses and rudbeckia/asters/tall stuff. Should do well with the filipendulas and eupatorium. And if not, only an annual, albeit a 10foot tall one..

persicaria orientalis.......only an annual, albeit a 10 foot tall one

I had to look this one up..impressive stature.

SO TALL in JUST ONE SEASON

Rouge, did you get this one?

Good to hear from you catkin.

Are you referring to orientalis ? No I haven't. (I had forgotten about this variety until you updated this thread.)