About this cultivar:

Persicaria affinis ‘Donald Lowndes’ is a mat-forming, partially evergreen perennial with dark green, narrowly elliptic leaves and erect spikes of small pink flowers which darken with age, finally turning orange-brown. A bit shorter than other Persicaria. Has the Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit.

• Position: Full sun, partial shade
• Soil: Almost any soil, grows well in Ballyrobert
• Flowers: July, August, September, October
• Other features: Bees and Butterflies, Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit (RHS AGM)
• Hardiness: Fully hardy, grows well in Ballyrobert
• Habit: Clump forming
• Foliage: Semi evergreen
• Height: 15 – 20 cm (0.5 – 0.75 ft)
• Spread: 45 – 75 cm (1.5 – 2.5 ft)
• Time to full growth: 2 to 5 years
• Plant type: Herbaceous Perennial
• Colour: Green, pink
• Goes well with: —

About this genus:

Persicaria is a genus of flowering plants in the knotweed family (Polygonaceae). Plants of the genus are known commonly as smartweeds, knotweed, fleece flower, or buckwheat. It has a cosmopolitan distribution, with species occurring nearly worldwide. The genus was recently segregated -so many of you old folk probably know it as Polygonum!

The genus Persicaria has many weedy species and somewhat of a bad reputation. However, as with any family, there are always some good members. We think we have found them!

Persicaria leaves are often multi-coloured and often marked with dark centers and silver chevrons. This versatile genus will most likely grow anywhere that isn’t a pond or a dark room. Other than an occasional haircut Persicaria is a low maintenance plant, that seems to look at home anywhere you plant it.