Persicaria bistorta subsp. Carnea

Persicaria, known commonly as Bistort Adderwort, are a group of perennials that are often grown as ground cover in garden borders and woodlands.

 

 Persicaria have fleshy stems, often growing to about 25cm tall with a 60cm spread, or bigger. Their leaves often have prominent veins, and their flower spikes are made up of lots of tiny pink and red flowers that are tightly packed together. They flower from the middle of summer to the middle of autumn. The flowers are a great source of food for bees and other pollinating insects – they will bring lots of lovely visitors to your garden! These are hardy, low maintenance plants. They are not too fussy about soil type but do like the soil to be moist. Persicaria will be happy in full sun or partial shade. For the first couple of seasons of growth, watering your Persicaria will be very important in helping them get established. The roots will need to be kept moist – remember to check this so that there are no water shortages for the plant - it is best to anticipate water loss rather than waiting for the plant to show stress signals. Starting in spring, it is best to give the plants liquid feed every 2-3 weeks. In order to prolong the flowering period, keep on top of deadheading any fade flower spikes. You could shear the foliage down to the ground after the first blooming – this maybe get you some new leaves and maybe even a second crop of flowers.

 

These plants are generally not troubled by pests and diseases and are safe to have around pets and babies.