Image of Persicaria pensylvanica
Source: Bibliothèque Université Laval
image of Flowering plant
Persicaria pensylvanica
Pennsylvania Smartweed
Renouée de Pennsylvanie

Obsolete Names

Pennsylvania knotweed
pink knotweed
pinkweed
No seeds available for this plant.
We currently accept seeds for this plant
Bloom colour: Pink Bloom period: Jun - Oct
Max Height: 4.0 feet
Max Width: 2.0 feet
Light condition:
Part shade More than 2 or 3 hours but less than 6 hours of direct sun a day
Soil conditions:
Moisture medium Tolerates medium soil condition
Lifespan: Annual plants that have a lifespan of one year
Gardener Experience:
plant germinate easy Easy to germinate
plant self seeding Self-seeding
Landscape uses:
school garden Suitable for school gardens
Ecological Benefits: No ecological benefits information available.
Tolerates:
limestone Tolerant Tolerates limestone conditions
acidic soil Tolerant Tolerates acidic soil conditions
transplantation Tolerant Tolerates transplantation
Special Features and Considerations:

Plant Location

Native to Ottawa region: Yes

Distribution according to VASCAN

Distribution: Persicaria pensylvanica
Ephemeral Native Introduced Excluded Extirpated Doubtful Absent
View taxonomy on Canadensys

View on iNaturalist

Thrives in Ecozones

  • Atlantic Maritime
  • Boreal Plains
  • Mixed Wood Plains

Ecological Benefits

Butterflies Supported by Persicaria pensylvanica

No butterfly data available for this plant.

Specialized Bees Supported by Persicaria pensylvanica

No bee data available for this plant.

Plants that grow in similar conditions, that bloom at the same time.

Complementary Plants

Substitute For Non-Native Plants

  • Lamium (Dead nettle)
  • Buddleia (Butterfly Bush)
  • Lamium galeobdolon (Yellow Archangel)

Sowing Information

Download Sowing Label (PDF)
  • Sowing depth: Surface sow
  • Sow by February
  • Stratification duration: 60 days
  • Self-seeding

Harvesting and Seed Sharing

  • Harvest start month: August
  • Harvesting indicator: Seeds are dark and dry, and easily fall off when you gently pull them off
  • Harvesting mean: Use hand to detach from main stem
  • Seed viability test: No test needed before donating
  • Packaging measure: 1 rounded 1/8 teaspoon
  • Seed storage: Air dry in paper bag or open container, for a few days until crisp, shaking seeds to move them once in a while to prevent molding
  • At least one cultivar: No, you can donate without knowing the source as there are only straight species
  • Remove non seed material
  • No harvesting video available at this time.

Toxicity Notes

Inadequate information on toxicity found.