Pennsylvania Smartweed, Persicaria Pennsylvania, is found in many agricultural regions of the state and states in the Midwest. It comes from the buckwheat family and does well in any moist area. It is very hardy and can tolerate sun or partial shade. It is often found in agricultural areas and grows explosively in water basins that have receding waterlines. It loves moist conditions and is an important food source for aquatic birds.
Pennsylvania Smartweed's Bloom Season and Color
The plant's flowers are greenish-white or may be rosy pink. They are about an eighth of an inch long and contain five petals. The flowers appear nearly stalkless and grow in elongated clusters. Blooms appear from May through October.
Pennsylvania Smartweed's Height at Maturity
It is a low-growing plant. Its height at maturity can be from 30 to 120 centimeters. It produces a huge amount of seed that will repopulate the plant the next season. It must have 60 days of cold weather.
Pennsylvania Smartweed Is Great For Groundcover
Pennsylvania Smartweed provides good ground cover around lakes and ponds. It doesn’t tolerate drought but will flourish in areas with ebbing and flowing water levels. It’s great for those raising ducks, geese, or waterfowl and will be a replenishable source of food for them.
Moist soil is a must for the plant. It does best in marshy ground and will not grow in hard soil or deep water. A few inches of water is fine. It can be grown with flood or overhead irrigation.
Pennsylvania Smartweed is a prevalent wildflower. It is distinguishable by its elongated clusters of spikey light-pink flowers. The stem is fragile, vibrant green, and sticky, hairy. The leaves are narrow and measure 10 to 15 centimeters. They are identified by a dark green smudge that spans across the midpoint of a light-green vein.