Persicaria amplexicaulis 'Firetail'

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Persicaria amplexicaulis 'Firetail'

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Kemper Code: T230

Common Name: mountain fleece
Zone: 4 to 7
Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Polygonaceae
Missouri Native: No
Native Range: None
Height: 3 to 4 feet
Spread: 3 to 4 feet
Bloom Time: June - October Bloom Data
Bloom Color: Crimson red
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium to wet
Maintenance: Low

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Plant Culture and Characteristics

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Uses:		Wildlife:	Flowers:	Leaves:	Fruit:
Hedge	Suitable as annual	Attracts birds	Has showy flowers	Leaves colorful	Has showy fruit
Shade tree	Culinary herb	Attracts	Has fragrant flowers	Leaves fragrant	Fruit edible
Street tree	Vegetable	hummingbirds	Flowers not showy	Good fall color	Other:
Flowering tree	Water garden plant	Attracts	Good cut flower	Evergreen	Winter interest
Gr. cover (<1')	Will naturalize	butterflies	Good dried flower		Thorns or spines

General Culture:

Easily grown in average, medium to wet, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Best flowering in full sun, but appreciates light shade in drier soils and in hot, humid conditions.

Noteworthy Characteristics:

This mountain fleece cultivar is an upright perennial which forms large, dense, bushy, slowly spreading clumps, typically 3-4' tall. Features dense, bottle-brush-like, erect flower spikes (to 6" long) of tiny, crimson flowers over an extremely long bloom period of early summer to fall (sometimes to first frost) and large, ovate (cordate at the base), stem-clasping, dark green leaves. Unlike many of the other polygonums, this cultivar is not too aggressive but still needs lots of space. Sometimes listed or sold as Polygonum amplexicaule 'Fire Tail' or P.a. 'Speciosa'.

Problems:

No serious insect or disease problems.

Uses:

Provides long summer to fall bloom for the perennial border. Contrasts well with purple-flowered salvia, nepeta or perovskia. Also effective in moist areas along streams, water gardens or ponds.

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