Thanks Brian Heagney. But... aren't those three plants (lady's thumb, knotweed, and smartweed) different? The always helpful Google search tells me this:
Lady's thumb = Persicaria vulgaris Japanese knotweed = Polygonum cuspidatum Smartweed = Persicaria lapathifolium
So my question remains: which of these three types do I have in my yard?
Or are botanists just messing with our heads by giving different names to essentially the same plant?
I have tons of this stuff in one corner of my yard. Trying to decide what it is and if I should let it stay. It is kind of pretty....
ReplyDeletemy gardener pal calls it lady's slipper and to get ride of it-- it takes over.
ReplyDeleteIt's lady's thumb / knotweed / smartweed / etc. the leaves and pink flower clusters are edible and nutty-tasting
ReplyDeleteThanks Brian Heagney. But... aren't those three plants (lady's thumb, knotweed, and smartweed) different? The always helpful Google search tells me this:
ReplyDeleteLady's thumb = Persicaria vulgaris
Japanese knotweed = Polygonum cuspidatum
Smartweed = Persicaria lapathifolium
So my question remains: which of these three types do I have in my yard?
Or are botanists just messing with our heads by giving different names to essentially the same plant?