Pennsylvania smartweed

(Persicaria pensylvanica)

Conservation Status
Pennsylvania smartweed
 
  IUCN Red List

not listed

     
  NatureServe

N5 - Secure

SNR - Unranked

     
  Minnesota

not listed

     
           
Wetland Indicator Status
     
  Great Plains

FACW - Facultative wetland

     
  Midwest

FACW - Facultative wetland

     
  Northcentral & Northeast

FACW - Facultative wetland

     
           
 
Description
 
 

The leaves may have a faint, dark, chevron-shaped mark in the middle of the blade. The flowers are usually pink, but may also be white. The membrane sheathing each node (ocrea) is not fringed at the tip. The flowers always have 5 tepals.

 
     
 

Height

 
 

24 to 72

 
     
 

Flower Color

 
 

White to pink

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
 

Spotted lady’s thumb (Persicaria maculosa) always has a dark spot in the middle of the leaf blade. The ocrea is fringed with bristles at the tip. The flowers may have 4 or 5 tepals.

 
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Wet to moist. Prairies, swamps, marsh edges, roadsides, railroads, disturbed sites. Full or partial sun.

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Flowering

 
 

July to September

 
     
 

Pests and Diseases

 
 

 

 
     
 
Use
 
 

 

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 28, 29, 30.

 
  4/5/2023      
         
 

Nativity

 
 

Native

 
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

Common

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
  Kingdom Plantae (green algae and land plants)  
  Subkingdom Viridiplantae (green plants)  
  Infrakingdom Streptophyta (land plants and green algae)  
  Superdivision Embryophyta (land plants)  
  Division Tracheophyta (vascular plants)  
  Subdivision Spermatophytina (seed plants) / Angiospermae (flowering plants)  
  Class Magnoliopsida (flowering plants)  
  Superorder Caryophyllanae  
 

Order

Caryophyllales (pinks, cactuses, and allies)  
 

Family

Polygonaceae (knotweed)  
  Subfamily Polygonoideae  
  Tribe Persicarieae  
  Subtribe Persicariinae  
 

Genus

Persicaria (knotweeds, smartweeds, and waterpeppers)  
       
 

Subordinate Taxa

 
 

 

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

Persicaria bicornis

Persicaria longistyla

Persicaria mississippiensis

Persicaria pensylvanica var. dura

Polygonum bicorne

Polygonum longistylum

Polygonum longistylum var. omissum

Polygonum mexicanum

Polygonum mississippiense

Polygonum mississippiense var. interius

Polygonum pensylvanicum var. durum

Polygonum pensylvanicum var. eglandulosum

Polygonum pensylvanicum var. genuinum

Polygonum pensylvanicum var. laevigatum

Polygonum pensylvanicum var. rosiflorum

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

Pennsylvania smartweed

pink knotweed

pinkweed

pinweed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

Plant

 
    Pennsylvania smartweed      
           
 

Inflorescence

 
    Pennsylvania smartweed   Pennsylvania smartweed  
           
    Pennsylvania smartweed      
           
 

Leaves

 
    Pennsylvania smartweed   Pennsylvania smartweed  
           
 

Compare Pennsylvania smartweed on the left with curlytop knotweed on the right

  Pennsylvania smartweed  

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
Persicaria pensylvanica (Pinkweed)
Allen Chartier
  Persicaria pensylvanica (Pinkweed)  
Polygonum pensylvanicum PINKWEED
Frank Mayfield
  Polygonum pensylvanicum PINKWEED  

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

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Other Videos
 
     
     
     

 

Camcorder

 

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