Scientific Name:
Persicaria microcephala
'Red Dragon'
Pronunciation:
pur-sih-KAIR-ee-uh mye-kroe-SEFF-uh-luh
Common Name:
Red Dragon knotweed
Family Name:
Polygonaceae
Plant Type:
Herbaceous perennial
Key ID Features:
Leaves ovate (almost triangular), purple or have green margins with dark purple center with a lighter halo around it; stems purple with sheathed swollen nodes.
Habit:
Arching, Irregular, Open, Spreading
Form:
Oval - horizontal, Round
Texture:
Medium
Mature Height:
0.7 - 1.3m
Mature Spread:
0.6 - 1.0m
Growth Rate:
Fast
Origin:
Garden origin (China)
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 6: (-23 to -18 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun, Part sun/part shade, Filtered shade, Deep shade
Soil/Growing Medium:
Well-drained
Water Use:
Moderate
Landscape Uses:
Accent plant, Container planting, Cut flower or foliage, Group or mass planting, Perennial border
Additional Info:
Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Simple
Arrangement:
Alternate
Texture/Venation:
Soft flexible, Pinnate venation
Surfaces:
Glabrous
Colour in Summer:
Dark-green, Purple, Silver / Grayish, Nearly Black
Colour in Fall:
Yellow, Dark-red, Nearly White
Shapes:
Ovate
Apices:
Acuminate
Bases:
Cuneate, Truncate
Margins:
Crenate, Undulate (wavy)
Additional Info:
Spectacular fall colour, Leaves variegated, major veins curl towards apex
Inflorescence Type:
Thyrse, Floriferous, Panicle-like
Flower Morphology:
Flowers perfect
Number Of Petals:
0
Corolla Shape:
Funnelform
Ovary Position:
Superior
Colour (petals):
Showy, White
Flower Scent:
None
Flower Time at Peak:
Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
Additional Info:
Five, petal-like sepals
Fruit Type:
Achene
Fruit Colour:
Brown
Fruiting Time:
Sep, Oct
Additional Info:
Not showy, like three-angles nutlets
Bark Morphology:
Showy
Bark or Stem Colour:
Additional Info:
stems bright red
Organ Modifications:
Stipule, leafy, Succulent stems
Propagation:
Seed, Softwood cuttings, Division - below ground parts
Maintenance:
Low
Pest Susceptibility:
(Pest resistant, Disease resistant)
